You learn some pretty hard lessons in 20 years of entrepreneurship. Hopefully, you can avoid some of my mistakes by reading this presentation.

1. LESSONS LEARNEDIN 20 YEARS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR
5IAN LURIE
CEO, PORTENT
@PORTENTINT

2. WHO IS THIS GUY?
@PORTENTINT
CEO, FOUNDER, PORTENT, INC.
WWW.PORTENT.COM

3. SINCE 1995

4. SINCE. 1995.

5. I’VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT
(AND I’VE HAD MY MOMENTS)

6. SOME STUFF IS FINALLY
SINKING IN
guess i
shouldn't have
done that

7. MY 5 LESSONSjust mine. your results may vary.

8. ENTREPRENEURS
these lessons are for
you don’t have to be one

9. BELIEVE IT
1IT’S WHAT GUIDES YOUR WORK

10. IT’S PERSONALdon’t let anyone tell you different

11. LIVE ITin the way you work

12. KNOW WHYyou’re doing this

13. LOVE ITenough to learn it

14. LOVE ITenough to teach it

15. THE CUSTOMER IS
NOT ALWAYS RIGHT

16. WHEN YOUR GUT SPEAKS
LISTEN

17. BALANCE
2LIFE, WORK AND HEALTH

18. YOU CAN WORKany 100 hours/week you want

19. YOUR FAMILYmust support what you’re doing

20. YOU STILLhave to clean the toilet now and then

21. YOUR 1ST DUTYis to remain standing

22. YOU’RE NOT
CAPTAIN AMERICA
YOU’RE A GRUNT

23. TREAT YOURSELFyou deserve it

24. YOU DON’T HAVE
A.D.D.
you’re just disorganized

25. BECOME A MASTER
TIME MANAGER
it’s your most precious resource

26. GROWTH
3MUST BE SUSTAINABLE

27. YOU ARE TAKING RISKS
NOT CRASHING CARS
be smart

28. HIRE FOR INTELLIGENCE
NOT SKILLS
anything can be learned. if you can think.

29. HIRE FOR EQ
NOT POLISH
they can always wear a suit

30. TEACH THE SH#T OUT OF
EVERYTHING

31. LEARN THE SH#T OUT OF
EVERYTHING

32. WORK AT THE EDGES
DELEGATE THE MIDDLE
expertise leadershipexecution

33. DO THE
MATHit doesn’t lie
(but it may fib)

34. SET CLEAR, MEASURABLE
GOALS
for yourself and others

35. CHANGE IS GOODuntil it’s not

36. DON’T WAIT FOR THE
PERFECT TOOL
forever is a long time

37. CASH FLOW
IS KING
you can’t breathe without air

38. TRUST
4BUILD IT. DEMAND IT.

39. INTEGRITY IS THE ACE
it’s not a renewable resource

40. DON’T FART IN PUBLIC
people remember that

41. IF YOU CAN’T TRUST THEM
FIRE THEM
employees or clients

42. SET CLEAR
STANDARDS
‘be great’ doesn’t do it

43. CRAZY ISN’T
MOTIVATIONAL
no one likes working for a nutjob

44. TAKE A TIME OUT
before you explode

45. NICE IS NOT HELPFUL
it’s destructive

46. LEADERSHIP5IN ALL THINGS
photo by richard masoner

47. LEAVE YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR
it’s distracting

48. LISTEN,
THEN DECIDE
please. pre‫﬛‬ please.

49. YOU DO KNOW WHAT
YOU’RE DOING
even when you don’t

50. FOUNDERS MUST
BUILD THE THING
it’s hard to run the business otherwise

51. CEOs MUST KNOW THE WORK
otherwise they make bad decisions

52. REVEAL TO DISCOMFORT
it beats hiding

53. THINGS GO WRONG
it’s how you react that counts

54. NEVER EVER EVER EVER
stop learning in public

55. THE PEOPLE
who taught me

56. BEN HOROWITZ
THE HARD THING ABOUT
HARD THINGS

57. PATRICK LENCIONI
EVERYTHING HE’S WRITTEN

58. GUY KAWASAKI
ENCHANTMENT

59. STEPHEN AMBROSE
D-DAY

60. DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN
TEAM OF RIVALS

61. STEVEN JOHNSON
THE GHOST MAP

62. ALL OF HISTORY
great leaders are great teachers

63. MY WHOLE FAMILY
through patience & occasional lack thereof

64. EVERYONE I’VE WORKED WITH
with judicious eye-rolling & support

65. MIND YOUR PARTNERS
and yourself

66. LOVE WHAT YOU DO
to your core, without question

67. DO IT WELL
and be‫﬙‬er every day

68. STAY HUMBLE
enough to learn

69. STAY ARROGANT
enough to lead

71. THANK YOU
ian lurie
@portentint
ian@portent.com
www.portent.com

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