Today's Entrepreneur: Bob Zeidman

Meliza Solan Surdi · February 14, 2011 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/16fe

No. 1 mistake: Underestimating the sales effort

Vator's community is the home to entrepreneurs who embrace their passion and follow their dreams.

Our newly-designed 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 entreprenener, we'd like to hear from you.

Today's entrepreneur is Bob Zeidman, CEO and founder of several startup such as SAFE Corporation, Zeidman Consulting, Zeidman Technologies, The Chalkboard Network, eVault, Z Enterprises, The ZIP Fund, and SamAnna Designs.

According to his VEQ, Bob is good at technology design, and negotions. He's also a thought leader.

I Am: A Jack of All Trades, Master of Some

Name companies you've founded or co-founded:

SAFE Corporation, Zeidman Consulting, Zeidman Technologies, The Chalkboard Network, eVault, Z Enterprises, The ZIP Fund, SamAnna Designs

Name companies you've invested in:

My own

Name startups you worked for:

American Supercomputers, Telestream

If you are an entrepreneur, why?

I want to change the world.

List your favorite startups:

HealthCrowd

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?

Frustrating: Long hours, trial and lots of errors, accounting and bookkeeping, getting that first sale.
Rewarding: Getting that first sale, customers using and recommending your product, inventing something new, building a business, changing the world.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make?

Underestimating the sales effort.

What are the top three lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur?

1) Do it out of passion and hope the money follows; 2) Plan for the worst ; 3) Hire a great sales person.

Is it possible to raise too much money?

No, that's stupid despite what many "entrepreneurs" claim. It's possible to spend too much money, but if you don't have the discipline to keep expenses under control, regardless of how much money you have, you shouldn't be running a company.