Business

I tend to go with scholarship that argues that there no people called entrepreneurs but people perform entrepreneurial functions at different times. Edison performed great entrepreneurial acts. But he was also fierce opponent of innovation when it threatened his business interests.

Harvard Professor of International Development & Innovation Policy Expert

What investors want the most is a team committed to a cause for the right reasons (passion about solving a problem, not passion about financial game), who can go and get people to buy into the vision, and who can build and manage teams.

Co-Founder of Foursquare, Location-Based Social Networking Pioneer

I don't really like the term entrepreneur because I think to some it implies that you start businesses for the sake of starting businesses. My view is this. If there's something you want to see in the world that doesn't exist, go build that thing. If that means you have to build a company? so be it.

Co-Founder of Foursquare, Location-Based Social Networking Pioneer

With Foursquare, our original app was a good idea but it wasn't a hundred million users good idea. The data behind the app, and what we do with the data? That's our good idea. That's our hundred million dollars in revenue idea.

Co-Founder of Foursquare, Location-Based Social Networking Pioneer

CSR does not help with me as a buyer, why? Because I'm cynical about it now, I don't believe it. After the success of Toms Shoes, every 23 year old told me they're starting an umbrella company and giving an umbrella to the people that need it in the Amazon. CSR has clearly become a tactic. Every strategy of every company and human being should come from a truth.

Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Digital Marketing Strategist

In today's climate, and over the past 5-7 years, people have been building financial arbitrage machines not actual companies. Most people's behaviour is more predicated towards raising the next round of financing rather than building towards a profitable company. We're going to have a massive crash and 90% of the people will go back to working at Bank of America, Chase, GE and companies like that- and the people who are good enough will continue to build businesses.

Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Digital Marketing Strategist

In a world where everyone gets to play in social media, we're about to realise that the vast majority of people aren't good enough. We've never had to quantify this before because there were people in-place to filter the people America got to see, and most were qualified to some level. Now we have an ecosystem where everyone gets out there and says they're great. The vast majority are not going to be great at what they pontificate to be great at, and we're going to watch them fail right in front of our eyes.

Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Digital Marketing Strategist

To be an entrepreneur, you need a love for process and to be comfortable with adversity. If you love process and you're comfortable with adversity, and if you love the journey over the fruits and riches of that journey- then you have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is on a pedestal; everyone wants to be one. Here's the truth, it sucks. Entrepreneurship is hard and almost everyone loses.

Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Digital Marketing Strategist

'Brand,' is what journalists and industry-people say… we say culture movement. As artists we say culture! Movement! And analysts say brand. I don't know what a brand is, but I know what a freakin' movement is…. if you want to know what a culture-movement is, remember that Dr. Martin Luther King didn't stand up and say, 'here's our brand!' – he created a movement.

Grammy-winning rapper, producer, and member of The Black Eyed Peas

You will never find opportunities in your comfort zone, you have to push yourself. The unknown is where you will always find opportunity. When you lose your own money, it hurts, it makes you careful, but you cannot let it take the mojo… the hunger out of you.

Icelandic billionaire businessman and former chess player

Wealth is just an indicator of how well (or not) things are going. Whatever I'm doing, there are indicators… do people like what I'm doing? Do they think I'm crazy? Am I making a lot of money? These are just indicators. Wealth is not and end in itself, it's just one of many indicator as to how you're doing.

Icelandic billionaire businessman and former chess player

As the rise of populism causes increased scepticism of business we are very conscious of our role as a firm in society. We focus on the impact that our portfolio businesses have on all of their stakeholders, from investors and employees to the local communities in which they operate.

Terra Firma Capital founder; acquired EMI Records in 2007

Simply put, a great business will understand its customers, have a clear, sound strategy and a business plan that can deliver against it. In order to do this it is very important to have a management team who can execute that plan.

Terra Firma Capital founder; acquired EMI Records in 2007

I think there is huge volatility in short-term investing. If we keep a long-term perspective in mind, we will go through the good cycles and the bad cycles and reach the other side. Short-term vision does not allow one to build better businesses and create value.

Terra Firma Capital founder; acquired EMI Records in 2007

While most people are uncomfortable with change we have a business built on analysing it. Our business takes advantage of challenges and the opportunities they provide.

Terra Firma Capital founder; acquired EMI Records in 2007

The most common mistake is to stop challenging when things are going well. I recognise failure as not having made a business better than when you were first involved.

Terra Firma Capital founder; acquired EMI Records in 2007