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You intentionally start small, because you will not be able to compete with an incumbent... because the incumbent is always going to go for the full solution.

Aaron Levie

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Aaron Levie
Age: 38
Born: 1985
Born: December 27
Entrepreneur
Seattle
Washington
Full
Small
Incumbent
Start
Incumbents
Able
Intentionally
Going
Compete
Always
Solution
Solutions
Building

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Every single industry is going through a major business model and technology oriented disruption.
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The business models in enterprise have changed pretty dramatically. A huge problem with enterprise software traditionally has been usually you sell to the customer and then they adopt the technology. The great thing about 'freemium' and the new way enterprise software is being sold is you get to try it first and then buy it.
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Start with something simple and small, then expand over time. If people call it a 'toy' you're definitely onto something.
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You can keep 'consumer' DNA at the center of your product. That will always mean that adoption is easier.
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Any time where the delta b/w what is possible and how things work today is at its widest, that's an opportunity to go build new technology.
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The 10% between 90% done to 100% done takes most of the time, causes most of the stress, but is all of the value.
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Better to be too early and have to try again, than be too late and have to catch up.
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What happens to the Microsofts, Oracles and IBMs of the world is that when they get big enough, they don't think they need to bring that same level of focus and energy to the end-user experience.
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Start with the assumption that the best way to do something is not the way it's being done right now.
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In an IT lead world, incumbents generally win because they have the existing relationship with the IT organization.
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I think I'm the kind of person who would be very difficult to employ - I'm pretty annoying, but driven.
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You'll learn more in a day talking to customers than a week of brainstorming, a month of watching competitors, or a year of market research.
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Everything about the enterprise, and then by definition the software the enterprise uses has changed - just in the last 5 years.
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The product that wins is the one that bridges customers to the future, not the one that requires a giant leap.
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Companies have never won. You're always either fighting for survival, or fighting for relevance.
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I think bad politics are incredibly dangerous, so it's important to make sure that people are communicating well. Culture and morale are super important. It's best to not force it, but let it happen organically and genuinely.
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Innovation in tech favors the naive and the stubborn. If you are too rational you won't tackle problems that others once failed at.
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When you're doing something you're passionate about, stress becomes a featurenot a bug.
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Steve Jobs is the most epic entrepreneur of all time. He served as a guiding light for any emerging businessperson who wanted to learn how things should get done. He'll be looked at as one of the best business leaders of all time, and certainly one of the best tech entrepreneurs.
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If you don't go to every level of your company, you distance yourself from the marketplace and from your people.
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