I think a critical part of being successful in our industry is having a beginner's mind

When I look out from my own business career, I tried to learn from some of the best people, regardless of the industry.

You must always be able to predict what's next and then have the flexibility to evolve.

I'm amazed by the potential of more companies employing integrated philanthropic initiatives at earlier stages in their life cycle. What if this were done on an even more massive scale? Consider what would happen if a top-tier venture-capital firm required the companies in which it invested to place 1% of their equity into a foundation serving the communities in which they do business.

I always tell people: Life is the dance between what you desire most and what you fear most. You've got to be able to deal with the threshold of control.

If you look at the top 10 enterprise software companies, a lot of them are important but irrelevant companies. It's really important to be relevant and important.

I think a critical part of being successful in our industry is having a beginner's mind