Mark Sendo is the Inventor/Founder/CEO of Airblade, a new XTreme-style X-Games pro sport. It’s a hybrid of air hockey, ice hockey and inline professional hockey. Imagine steeply banked corners 10′ high and air pressurized surfaces through 2.6 million holes for blazing game-speed. It also has a new two-point scoring system. Follow him @sspendo.
Who is your hero?
Sir Winston Churchill is my hero. His oft-cited quote, “Never, ever ever ever ever give up,” kept me going when I so badly just wanted to quit.
What’s the single best piece of business advice that helped shape who you are as an entrepreneur today, and why?
I advise and assist high-tech entrepreneurs and creative people. I launch, grow and sell companies. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes I fall flat on my face. The important thing is that I am still in the ring — and that’s the same advice I’d give any young entrepreneur.
What’s the biggest mistake you ever made in your business, and what did you learn from it that others can learn from too?
I once gave up on a particular approach that turned out to be right. I never give up now.
What do you do during the first hour of your business day and why?
I have my coffee, orange juice, and check my email. I like to get emails read and returned promptly from the previous night. Then I send out meeting requests or approach people who can help my project.
What’s your best financial or cash-flow related tip for entrepreneurs just getting started?
Bootstrap with small amounts of investment money until your proof of concept is achieved and the product gains traction. Later on, you can either exit or raise another round of capital.
Quick: What’s ONE thing you recommend ALL aspiring or current entrepreneurs do right now to take their biz to the next level?
Once a platform is built, stop adding features until your customers’ needs and feedback actually drive those features.
What’s your definition of success? How will you know when you’ve finally “succeeded” in your business?
When I stop running from myself, I will finally be successful. I will have succeeded when I’ve lead my team to disrupt a current industry to create a new and better one. Financial rewards will follow as a result.
