If start-up activity is the true engine of job creation in America, one thing is clear: our current educational system is acting as the brakes. Simply put, from kindergarten through undergraduate and grad school, you learn very few skills or attitudes that would ever help you start a business.
Michael EllsbergThere's no question that increased formal credentials can give you an advantage. The question is, is it the best advantage you can buy with the amount of money and time you're going to spend?
Michael EllsbergIn my experience, the skill of success breaks down into three things. The skill of marketing. The skill of sales. And the skill of leadership.
Michael EllsbergThe essence of building your own brand. People having heard of you - and having a positive impression - before you've even met them. If you can create that effect, doors open for you. A close second, if that's not possible, is people getting a good impression of o very quickly when they Google you
Michael EllsbergLearning is available at the library for free; under a tree with a dog-eared paperback; at a job with a boss who gives you responsibility and mentorship; while traveling; while leading a cause, movement, or charity; while writing a novel or composing a poem or crafting a song; while interning, apprenticing, or volunteering; while playing a sport or immersing yourself in a language; while starting a business; and now, while watching a TED talk or taking a Khan Academy class.
Michael Ellsberg