Today's Entrepreneur: Jim Zamichieli

No. 1 mistake: Lack of planning

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 entrepreneur, we'd like to hear from you.

Today's Entrepreneur is Jim Zamichieli, CEO and Founder of Zamolution.

According to his VEQ Jim is a thought leader and is good at technology design and marketing management.

You are a(n): Entrepreneur

Name companies you've founded or co-founded:
LHH Preferred Properties, Zamolution, Amicus Voice

Name companies you've invested in:
Myself

Name startups you worked for:
GE LogistiCom, PC RoomLink, Atlas Commerce

If you are an entrepreneur, why?
After climbing to the top of the proverbial corporate ladder, it was time to face the next challenge: set and achieve a new set of goals sans the corporate American safety net below.

List your favorite startups:
Craigslist, PlentyOfFish, Zamolution, AccidentOn95.com

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation?
Frustrating when I see unethical / incompetent entrepreneurs preying on unsuspecting clients.

I feel liberated that I can be completely open and honest with clients (and perspective clients), without someone looking over my shoulder, telling me, "You can't say that to a client; if they want to waste money by us executing a strategy with us, that we know won't work, who are we to stop them?"

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make?

#1 Mistake - Lack of planning, i.e., business plan
#2 Mistake - Not understanding or acknowledging their own weaknesses
#3 Mistake - Not reinvesting profits back into the business

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

1. Do NOT sell to a prospective client; become a trusted adviser instead and the sale will naturally follow.

2. If you firmly believe you will be successful, you will prove yourself right.

3. Find the best talent and hire them. On the contrary, purge mediocrity.