Today's entrepreneur: Jeff Smith

Bambi Francisco Roizen · January 4, 2011 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/1580

'Exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world'

Entrepreneurs, and those who work at startups, are a special part of the workforce.

They embrace innovation and disruption.They live on the edge, and, at times, chase the latest shiny object. But their willingness to fail and try something new often enable them to make a big difference.

The Vator community is made up of these unique people. To that end, we've changed our user profiles to allow entrepreneurs to express their interests and lessons about entrepreneurship.

These profiles will allow us to highlight an entrepreneur every day.

Today's entrepreneur is Jeff Smith.

Express yourself: And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected." John Steinbeck

I am: A slacker

Name companies you've founded or co-founded:

Envoy, Tumbleweed, Simplified Media, Smule

Name companies you've invested in:

Tumbleweed, Simplified Media, Smule, Dasient, Enterproid, Boccalone

Name startups you worked for:

IBM, Hewlette Packard, Ashton-Tate, Adobe/Frame !

If you are an entrepreneur, why?

Couldn't get a real job.

List your favorite startups:

Tapjoy (I know), FAAD, Enterproid, Boccalone.

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

No insulation from the bumps and there are always bumps.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneur's make?

They don't focus. They try to do too much.

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

Don't trust whitey.
If you catch it, see a Dr. and get rid of it.
Never take any prisoners.
Focus.

(Note: If you want to be featured, please fill out your Vator profile, answer the questions in the basic information area, and be sure to add a big photo as wide as 400 pixels! Email newsroom@vator.tv with a link to your Vator profile so we can check it out!)

Bambi Francisco Roizen

Founder and CEO of Vator, a media and research firm for entrepreneurs and investors; Managing Director of Vator Health Fund; Co-Founder of Invent Health; Author and award-winning journalist.

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