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"Entrepreneurship to me is like the new word for "explorer." To me it is the search of new lands, worlds, or business concepts not yet done, or not yet done in this way." -- Jordan Roschwalb, Foundar, Pintrill
What does "entrepreneurship" mean to you?
Entrepreneurship to me is like the new word for "explorer." To me it is the search of new lands, worlds, or business concepts not yet done, or not yet done in this way.
How did your business come to be? (e.g. What sparked the idea?How did you decide to take the leap?)
I always collected pins. When I was in between jobs, I started to get bored and needed something to occupy my time, so I thought why not make pins. This allowed me to have an outlet to be creative as well as occupy my time in between interviews and hopefully supplement my rent at the time.
What is the biggest learning from the journey so far? What do you wish you knew when you started? Is there anything you would change/do over?
Everything I have done up until now may not have been the best choice, but I can confidently say I made them all on my own accord and that is something I would never change. I have learned so much but one of the biggest things is that when you fall hard you need to remember the next time you fall it might be even harder, but you need to get back up all the same.
What advice/credo do you live by as you grow the business? What is your professional and personal mission statement?
Every day is a learning experience and the hardest day is in front of you. The journey is the meaning.
What's it like to work alone/with your partners?What advice do you have for fellow entrepreneurs about building and leading teams?
Working with your partners is always a learning experience, you need to play to everyone's strengths. It's important to always take ownership of any mistakes so no one is pointing fingers or holding grudges. Pick the right pieces for the puzzle and don't try to make a square peg fit in a round hole -- it will never fit and at the end of the day will cost you more in time to fix the problems that may have been created.
Where do you find inspiration when faced with challenges?
I've worked in sales my entire life so overcoming obstacles was always a daily thing for me, and I view the day to day challenges as obstacles that just need to be overcome in order to continue to move forward.
What does "success" mean to you? What's the dream for your business? What has helped/will help you achieve it?
I can't really say what success means to me because I'm not sure I'll ever be successful. I sometimes think of success as a point where people stop and I don't want to stop at the moment. I want PINTRILL to become the global pin brand and be on the forefront of personalization and customization. Continually taking steps forward no matter how difficult it seems, this is one thing I live by. There is no going backwards, and there is no standing still. Someone once said to me, "If you're not moving forward you're dead."
What is your proudest and darkest moment so far? Share a key high and a key low from your journey.
My proudest moment so far would have to be getting my pin displayed in the MoMA and then being able to buy my pins in the gift shop. I never imagined that this would happen three years ago. I have had some pretty low moments. I think the most important thing to remember is that you shouldn't take things personally.
Nasdaq's Education Foundation helped launch The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center in the fall of 2015. Located in San Francisco, it has quickly become the go to destination for the next generation of risk takers and idea makers who take the plunge into entrepreneurship.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
