« Don’t Confuse a Conference and a Trade Show | Videos From My Talk in Vancouver »
The Best Entrepreneurs Know How To Fail Fast
Last night at the TechStars Boulder Mentor dinner I got into a conversation about what makes a better CEO of a new startup – an experienced entrepreneur who’s last company was a failure or a big company executive with a stellar pedigree who has never worked in a startup.
Give me the experienced entrepreneur whose last company was a failure 100% of the time. The cliche “you learn more from failure than success holds true”, but more importantly the dude that just came off a failure and is ready to go again is super-extraordinary-amazingly hungry for a success. It doesn’t matter how much money he’s made in his past companies – once he decides to go for it again he’s going to be ready to crush it.
Spend four minutes listening to Mark PIncus’s interview on Vatornews about his lessons from Tribe – fail fast. Two great entrepreneurs that I’ve worked with before (and intend to work with again) sent it to me this morning with a note saying “wow – awesome – must watch.” (n.b. each of them had one success and one failure before I funded their third company, which was a huge success.)
Mark is the CEO of Zynga (I’m on the board). I love working with Mark – I’ve known him since the mid-1990’s and funds I’ve been affiliated with invested in his first two companies: Freeloader and SupportSoft. Both were successes. We didn’t (for a variety of reasons that I can’t remember) invest in Tribe which was a failure. When Mark started talking about Zynga, it was an easy decision to jump on board and do the first round funding with Fred Wilson at Union Square Ventures.
Mark amazes me on a regular basis – not only has he synthesized everything he learned from Tribe, he has developed unbelievable sense of self-awareness as an entrepreneur and a human that helps accentuate the things he’s great at while opening up for help when he needs it.
Note to everyone: check your pedigrees at the door – tell me about your successes and failures when we meet for the first time. And fail fast.









Pingback: Are you learning?
Pingback: “The big lesson was that we didn’t fail fast.” « Fail Fast
Pingback: Startup Life. Corporate Life. Choose One?
Pingback: Failure is an Option! To be a successful entrepreneur you must fail :: Israpreneur
Pingback: On Learning to Fail Fast | FollowGreen.com
Pingback: Weekend Reading
Pingback: Entrepreneurial News - Don't Miss These Important Posts From The Blogsphere | LIVE LIFE UP HIGH
Pingback: Fail Fast. The Best Do. | QuickFail
Pingback: Startup/Corporate « Scott Porad
Pingback: Guest Post: A Post Mortem « TIME TO GET STARTED
Pingback: 4 Logical Reasons to be Persistent « TIME TO GET STARTED
Pingback: An Entrepreneur Three Core Values | Bits And Buzz, by Jeremy Chone
Pingback: Failure in context | Colorado Startups
Pingback: Learning to fail: Startups aren’t really trying unless their failing « Nickpoint
Pingback: I Can Be Innovative or Efficient… Not Both — hallicious
Pingback: SargeBig.com – A marketer and a Web developer's lifestream » Mily Teixidó tweeted this:
Pingback: Fail fast and prosper | Into The Mountain
Pingback: EAST Interactive
Pingback: 11 Excuses Stopping You From Starting A Business | My Social Life
Pingback: 11 Excuses Stopping You From Starting A Business
Pingback: Internet TV – Is Now The Time To Build New Networks? | b-roll.net
Pingback: Andrew Yang » Companies have forgotten how to fail
Pingback: These ‘Fail Fast’ Guys Can Pry My Startup From My Cold, Dead Hands « Jeb Stone > Analytics PhD
Pingback: Update #1 to My Authority Site Project; Fail Quickly | Niche Pursuits
Pingback: Old Forest, New Trees » Blog Archive » Should nonprofit news operations pay development officers on commission?
Pingback: How to woo an employee. (And be wooed back.) | The Ridejoy Blog
Pingback: More ed. Less tech. « edcrunch
Pingback: Why Start-up Culture Is Bad for Creativity | Mojoify
Pingback: Why Start-up Culture Is Bad for Creativity | Americas Credit Blog
Pingback: LiveLab: A Real World Place To Try On Your Ideas | Suite.is
Pingback: Web Video Startups Getting a New Boost
Pingback: xbox 360
Pingback: Carlo Ermatinger
Pingback: penis advantage scam
Pingback: buy edu backlinks
Pingback: hostgator coupons
Pingback: best led tv brand
Pingback: does penis advantage work
Pingback: backlink services
Pingback: free xbox
Pingback: kids portable dvd player
Pingback: the truth about six pack abs
Pingback: the truth about six pack abs
Pingback: penis advantage reviews
Pingback: penisadvantage
Pingback: penis advantage review
Pingback: Kory Volner
Pingback: Shawanda Heckmann
Pingback: free ipads
Pingback: best 55 led tv
Pingback: cheap backlinks
Pingback: free xbox
Pingback: kids portable dvd player
Pingback: Bernie Northington
Pingback: Jerrell Honokaupu
Pingback: Thalia Vogds
Pingback: Johnathan Bobson
Pingback: Dannie Wardrop
Pingback: Odilia Tochterman
Pingback: Kraig Gearon
Pingback: Hiroko Prestidge
Pingback: Del Lidtke
Pingback: Stephen Degrandpre
Pingback: Michal Liukko
Pingback: Genia Drda
Pingback: Marcus Botdorf
Pingback: Tamica Sebold
Pingback: Roland Creese
Pingback: Roy Hequembourg
Pingback: Marcella Kina
Pingback: In Silva
Pingback: Cecile Gerson
Pingback: tao of badass review
Pingback: Deangelo Lomago
Pingback: Jena Donchatz
Pingback: Bart Karry
Pingback: Stefany Eberth
Pingback: Broderick Macvicar
Pingback: Murray Istorico
Pingback: Paris Ludvigsen
Pingback: Lindsey Jeminez
Pingback: Mauricio Hartwigsen
Pingback: Keith Conigliaro
Pingback: Arnulfo Aquas
Pingback: Porfirio Hinckson
Pingback: Ezra Wishum
Pingback: Theodora Suddith
Pingback: Carrol Honie
Pingback: Solomon Weathington
Pingback: Rayford Crease
Pingback: Damien Halas
Pingback: Lilla Merk
Pingback: Love Zuck
Pingback: Corrinne Malakan
Pingback: Elwanda Vickroy
Pingback: Erika Wilch
Pingback: Zoila Torris
Pingback: Rickey Langella
Pingback: Oretha Lavatch
Pingback: Major Legate
Pingback: Trenton Matysiak
Pingback: Leonarda Kenaan
Pingback: Octavio Zilka
Pingback: Hazel Daris
Pingback: Daren Rust
Pingback: Giuseppe Zalk
Pingback: Salvador Dahlem
Pingback: Michel Brunkhardt
Pingback: Nanci Jerich
Pingback: Sherwood Micha
Pingback: Herma Heckers
Pingback: Taylor Matrey
Pingback: Ilana Stavis
Pingback: Cristin Feeler
Pingback: Cyrus Kirkbride
Pingback: Mitchell Perreira
Pingback: Coleman Goth
Pingback: Julieann Lundell
Pingback: Rosina Crary
Pingback: Thomas Tuitt
Pingback: Merlyn Berberian
Pingback: Melania Peak
Pingback: Gabriel Pinkleton
Pingback: Nia Nowell
Pingback: Mai Ricketts
Pingback: Sherita Mcbryde
Pingback: Danilo Stfleur
Pingback: Terra Florez
Pingback: Yer Hairston
Pingback: Sal Macinnes
Pingback: North Carolina
Pingback: Danita Ursino
Pingback: Serita Umphress
Pingback: Melynda Coomer
Pingback: Trang Ancar
Pingback: Jeff Garringer
Pingback: Jeni Alameida
Pingback: Lawrence Pohorilla
Pingback: Melania Peak
Pingback: Genny Sauredo
Pingback: Valentine Tenley
Pingback: Jeffery Wyatt
Pingback: Celena Wurdeman
Pingback: Gene Shuler
Pingback: Lilia Chalaban
Pingback: Marc Quinton
Pingback: Cyndy Sollis
Pingback: Woodrow Bunda
Pingback: Jenae Gibbons
Pingback: Del Capley
Pingback: Santiago Mcneme
Pingback: Boris Turlich
Pingback: Lean Kuba
Pingback: Rubie Blette
Pingback: Latesha Josiah
Pingback: Raelene Gierhart
Pingback: Ashleigh Limbaugh
Pingback: Albina Villot
Pingback: Winfred Kowalkowski
Pingback: Pansy Ayaia
Pingback: Glayds Martabano
Pingback: Arlena Maks
Pingback: Eulah Forsberg
Pingback: Quentin Picchi
Pingback: Cristobal Boenisch
Pingback: Booker Zappulla
Pingback: Chung Hoyer
Pingback: Lacie Daring
Pingback: Ciara Jurkovich
Pingback: Loise Arnn
Pingback: Karyl Dargenio
Pingback: http://glcliberia.com/groups/esempio/wiki/a7bbf/Precisely_what_Every_one_Really_should_Understand_about_the_Truth_about_Six_Pack_Abs.html
Pingback: Isidro Vandernoot
Pingback: Vina Adolfson
Pingback: Raymond Roblee
Pingback: Rick Goossen
Pingback: Marian Dalal
Pingback: Tommie Bartron
Pingback: Albertina Seybert
Pingback: http://75.145.137.121/groups/paper/wiki/defdc/The_magic_of_constructing_around_get_the_ex_back_again.html
Pingback: http://www.toaxdi.com/groups/work/wiki/72ef4/The_magic_of_constructing_about_obtain_your_ex_again.html
Pingback: Chi Harnar
Pingback: Collin Kardashian
Pingback: Felipe Phimpradapsy
Pingback: Kurt Culley
Pingback: Harold Yeargin
Pingback: Corey Babicke
Pingback: Desirae Mozie
Pingback: Tommie Mctee
Pingback: Google
Pingback: Sharan Yard
Pingback: Joey Touchette
Pingback: Ignacio Rohs
Pingback: Antone Tsau
Pingback: Kasi Reeks
Pingback: Talia Lachowicz
Pingback: Bernarda Ancelet
Pingback: Daryl Sampica
Pingback: Abe Hooker
Pingback: spy
Pingback: Donn Steinkraus
Pingback: Guy Acheson
Pingback: Yuk Push
Pingback: Bert Sonkin
Pingback: Major Schmith
Pingback: Luis Cossett
Pingback: Odell Bekhit
Pingback: Lewis Lafferty
Pingback: Hung Desroberts
Pingback: Keila Trelles
Pingback: Abe Weinburg
Pingback: Marvin Filbert
Pingback: Tracey Campanella
Pingback: Vickey Pancake
Pingback: Thanh Merles
Pingback: Ernest Kuboushek
Pingback: Ivana Hamano
Pingback: Monaro
Pingback: annunci incontri
Pingback: Marcelo Mertins
Pingback: Earle Kakowski
Pingback: articles about experiences
Pingback: books about arthritis
Pingback: Renaldo Heerdt
Pingback: Emilio Mauritz
Pingback: Antonio Be
Pingback: dog potty pads
Pingback: Syble Kiesewetter
Pingback: web design hertfordshire
Pingback: no deposit bingo bonus
Pingback: Oil and Gas
Pingback: Anglian windows
Pingback: Camille Waldren
Pingback: Alex Garrison
Pingback: seo decatur illinois
Pingback: Nannette Nyswonger
Pingback: Lonny Crosier
Pingback: Haywood Calderon
Pingback: landlord certificates
Pingback: Verlie Oliff
Pingback: chockana supply
Pingback: Theodore Gledhill
Pingback: cheap checks