Fred Wilson on Entrepreneurs

fred wilson headshot

I’m very selective with my information intake lately.  Weeks ago I deleted a 70 feeds from my blog reader, downloaded Facebook Notifier to use the site as a communication medium, and I’m spending less time on news sites – save the occasional Drudge Report check-in.

One blog that I added was Fred Wilson’s blog.  It’s pure gold and should be required reading for tech-business types.  I love reading the comments section of Fred’s site; he stays engaged in the discussion, opposing views are welcomed, and the conversation is rich with intelligent folks.

Today, Fred posted a list of 5 defining characteristics of entrepreneurs:

  1. A stubborn belief in one’s self
  2. A confidence bordering on arrogance
  3. A desire to accept risk and ambiguity, and the ability to live with them
  4. An ability to construct a vision and sell it to many others
  5. A magnet for talent

Tagged as: entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, fred wilson, union square ventures, usv

  • http://www.joshcrews.com Josh Crews

    I think there has got to be a new way on points 1 and 2. What about the Amish, Japanese, George Muller and every civilization between 200AD Rome and John D. Rockefeller?
    I’d like show that 1 and 2 are false virtues in entrepenuership.

    • http://www.taylorbrooks.org Taylor Brooks

      I don’t think 1 & 2 are necessarily a bad things; at their extremes, both can be destructive.

      Belief in one’s self and confidence aren’t totally negative.

      I don’t know much about the folks you listed. I’d be curious to hear how they relate to entrepreneurship.