Quotes by Ziad K. Abdelnour

“It’s one thing if a mistake occurs because of circumstance or a miscalculation or the unexpected or inexperience; it’s another if it’s part of a pattern of carelessness or ineptitude or laziness. Then it becomes a choice.”

“Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Before you raise your first dollar in capital or make your first sales call, the odds are already against you.”

“Ego is a double-edged sword. On one hand it is vital...But too much of a good thing can be dangerous.”

“You don’t need an MBA from an elite Ivy League school to find funding and be successful, but you do need to understand the start-up ecosystem.”

“If you don’t envision your business growing one hundred times in size, your start-up probably won’t generate much interest [from venture capitalist]”

“My take is that smart financiers wait until aha before they climb aboard the bandwagon. Entrepreneurs need to bridge the capital gap from idea to aha with expertise, not capital or sophisticated market research.”

“People do business with people, and it’s essential that entrepreneurs understand this going into any venture.”

“Keep in mind that pitching investors is a process that requires preparation, data, vision, and honesty. And even if an investor passes on this particular start-up, don’t burn the bridge.”

“One of the most common mistakes that start-ups make is not focusing on building a brand starting on day one.”

“Without seeking truth it is unlikely you will find success. The truth very well might set you free, but it’s not always fun. People say they want the truth, but more accurately, they want the truth that is easy to hear. They don’t want the painful truths that don’t support our decisions or force us to accept we were wrong about something. But without truth, you will never be able to course-correct. Putting the company first and your bruised feelings second is an important step in saving your start-up from failure.”

“If you make a mistake, don’t spend precious time and energy trying to deny it or point the finger at someone else. Be a leader and own it, then spend your time and energy fixing the problem. As I’ve already noted, start-ups often fail because founders want to be seen as the smartest person in the room, which means not being wrong. Making a mistake is going to happen. None of us is perfect. But the difference between success and failure is how you handle that mistake”

“Three things you cannot recover in life: the WORD after it’s said, the MOMENT after it’s missed and the TIME after it’s gone. Now you know.”