Ideas about ideasRick Turoczy, PIE

Nearly 20 years in the Portland startup scene.

In four years, PIE has influenced 600+ companies around the world and accelerated 40+ startups – which have raised $100MM+ in venture capital and

generated 400+ high-paying jobs.

Let’s talk about ideas, inspiration, and entrepreneurs.

Great entrepreneurs are not successful because of their ability to dream big.

Great entrepreneurs are successful because they can think small.

If you want to boil the ocean, you’ve got to figure out how to make a kettle whistle, first.

Appreciate the earth-shattering potential…

Focus on the attainable minutiae.

The challenge of the entrepreneurially minded is balancing this schizophrenia.

Sherlock Holmes, Encyclopedia Brown, and Scooby Doo would have been great entrepreneurs.

So how do you cultivate that way of thinking?

Reward curiosity.

Encourage people to ask “What if…?”

Facilitate invention but seek innovation.

Embrace risk. Fail harderer.

Let fear drive you.

You don’t have to fix everything. Just fix one thing.

And fix it poorly.

Don’t worry. Be crappy.

And while you’re doing this, bear in mind…

Common sense is not common.

The most successful intuitive leaps are usually just small hops.

Wisdom is a series of failed ideas that result in “common sense.”

You don’t always have to have an earth-shattering, boil-the-ocean vision.

So let me leave you with this…

What is your Pez dispenser?

Thank yourick@piepdx.com

@turoczy