“I really focused on three things in high school - my company, basketball and my school work.” SchoolThreeCompanyBasketballHigh SchoolFocusedThree ThingsSchool Work Author:Ben Casnocha
“I'm just the smallest dot in a big map of human history.” HumansBigsMapsSmallestHuman HistoryDots Author:Ben Casnocha
“I've always loved to write, and I kept a diary of what I thought about my business, being an entrepreneur and other things of interest to me.” WritingInterestEntrepreneurDiaries Author:Ben Casnocha
“Long-term goals are dangerous. They limit you. They hinder you from reacting to new conditions.” LongGoalTermConditionsDangerousLimitsLong TermHinderReactingLong Term Goals Author:Ben Casnocha
“Sometimes I have to pause to make the distinction between Ben the teenager and Ben the businessman.” SometimesTeenagerDistinctionPausesBusinessman Author:Ben Casnocha
“It got a little stressful in my first two years of high school, trying to make conference calls with investors in between classes, but I definitely learned a lot of important time-management lessons.” TryingYearsFirstsLittlesTwoImportantSchoolClassLessonsHigh SchoolManagementTwo YearsTime ManagementInvestorsConferencesStressfulConference Calls Author:Ben Casnocha
“Talk to people no one else is talking to. Who would have thought that giving a speech at a funeral at age 12 would introduce me to a man who would introduce me to my first business contact who would introduce me to several other important people in my life. That's luck. That's randomness.” PeopleMenGivingFirstsImportantAgeTalkingSpeechLuckContactFuneralIntroducingRandomness Author:Ben Casnocha
“When you start a company, it's more an art than a science because it's totally unknown. Instead of solving high-profile problems, try to solve something that's deeply personal to you. Ideally, if you're an ordinary person and you've just solved your problem, you might have solved the problem for millions of people.” PeopleIfsTryingPersonsArtProblemMightCompanyMillionsOrdinarySolveProfileOrdinary PersonHigh Profile Author:Brian Chesky
“The American dream, what we were taught was, grow up, own a car, own a house. I think that dream's completely changing. We were taught to keep up with the Joneses. Now we're sharing with the Joneses.” ThinkingDreamHouseGrowsGrowing UpCarTaughtAmerican Dream Author:Brian Chesky
“Customers are willing to try new things, and if you can survive, you will have fewer competitors. It's like entering the eye of the storm. As long as you are strong enough to survive, you can end up in still water by yourself.” IfsTryingLongStillsEndsEnoughEyeStrongWaterWillingCustomersStormFewerNew ThingsEnteringCompetitorsStrong EnoughStill WatersWilling To TryEye Of The Storm Author:Brian Chesky