Today's Entrepreneur: Marcus Nelson

Kristin Karaoglu · September 10, 2012 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/2a09

No. 1 mistake: Following other people's advice

Today's Entrepreneur is Marcus Nelson founder and CEO of Addvocate. According to his VEQ, Marcus is a thought leader and is good at technology design and team motivation.

(Addvocate is one of the startups competing in Vator Splash SF. If you want to see Marcus on stage, or another startup in the competition, vote for them here.)

Vator’s community is the home to entrepreneurs who embrace their passion and follow their dreams. Our profiles allow members to express themselves by sharing their interests, lessons learned, as well as bits and pieces of their roller-coaster journey.

These profiles give entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase themselves and tell their story. So if you are an entrepreneur, a serial entrepreneur, or even an aspiring entrepreneur, we'd like to hear from you.

I am a(n):
Entrepreneur

Companies I've founded or co-founded:
Addvocate, UserVoice, TaskPick, Superstarch, CitizenWausau, CitizenDesk, RockWater

Startups I worked for:
Salesforce

If you are an entrepreneur, why?
I want to change the world.

My favorite startups:
vid.io, mightytext, mighthive

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?
The disconnect between the people with the pain and the people with the money to solve that pain, but have never felt it to know that it's real.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make?
Following other people's advice.

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?
Never trust that investors will get back to you.
Stick with your gut, it's what got you to this point in the first place.
Never take criticism personally.

(Want to be profiled? Just fill out your Vator profile and we'll find you! Or you can email newsroom@vator.tv)

Kristin Karaoglu

Woman of many skills: Database System Engineer; SplashX event producer; Author of Startup Teams

All author posts

Related Companies, Investors, and Entrepreneurs

Addvocate

Startup/Business

Joined Vator on September 6, 2012

Every company thinks they need to be social. As such, they're spending millions of dollars to do so. Unfortunately, they're underutilizing the most motivated asset they already have -- enthusiastic employees.

Your workers want to talk about their company, only they don't know what to say, or they're afraid to say the wrong thing. Instead, they do nothing.

We're simplifying and systemizing the task of posting, scheduling, training, archiving, & governing the social voices of your employees.

Competitive advantage

There is no product on the market that caters directly to the needs of companies wish to become social enterprises. Tools today only work for small teams and are too cost prohibitive to roll out to all employees.

Marcus Nelson

Joined Vator on September 6, 2012

CEO of @addvocate • adviser • speaker • twin • chili champ • husband to @emilyjo • dad of 3 • 1/2 kiwi born #Texan raised #Wisconsin •former @salesforce @uservoice