Today's Entrepreneur : Jackson Gates

Mitos Suson · September 22, 2015 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/4020

No. 1 mistake: Giving up too soon

Today's Entrepreneur is Jackson Gates, Co-founder and CEO of Sweep. Sweep helps you get ahead of your bills, expenses and savings goals so you never have to budget again! Unlike other finance apps, Sweep gives you a complete forward-looking view into your cash flow and makes it easy to take control of your money, grow savings and spend confidently.

Sweep Inc. self-categorizes in Mobile payments and personal finance.

Here's a little about Gates:

I am a(n): Entrepreneur

Companies I've founded or co-founded: Sweep Inc.

Companies I work or worked for: Edmodo, Pandora, Venrock, Swell, Vulcan Capital, Tenaya Capital, Sun Microsystems

If you are an entrepreneur, why? I believe good teams can solve hard problems.

My favorite startups: Wealthfront, TrunkClub, Bonobos

What's most frustrating and rewarding about entrepreneurship/innovation? Same thing -- testing your courage and conviction.

What's the No. 1 mistake entrepreneurs make? Giving up too soon.

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

1) Start with the mission first, not the idea. 
2) Love your team more than your idea. 
3) Job #1 of an entrepreneur is to never lose faith. 
4) Job #2 is to listen to all of the great advice and then figure out what to take seriously and what to ignore. 
5) Don't forget that your most important investor is your spouse. 
6) You don't have to follow directions

Full bio

Jackson Gates is the CEO and co-founder of Sweep, a forward-looking mobile finance app that helps consumers get ahead of their bills, expenses and savings goals so they never have to budget again.  Over the past 15+ years, Jackson has been involved in technology startups at all levels including CEO, founder, EIR, advisor, executive and investor.  As an operator Jackson served as VP of Business Development at Pandora and VP of Business Development at Edmodo.  As an investor, Jackson worked at Vulcan Capital and Tenaya Capital.  And as an entrepreneur he is the co-founder of Sweep and spent time as an EIR at Venrock.  He received his MBA from Stanford and his bachelors from Georgetown University. 

 

Sweep is competing in the Splash LA competition. The top eight of the competition will compete live on stage at Splash LA on Oct. 15 at Loews Santa Monica Hotel. Register here.   


*Want to be included in our Today's Entrepreneur series? Email me: mitos@vator.tv

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Mitos Suson

I produce Vator Events and enjoy the challenge. I am learning and growing a lot, being involved with Vator and loving every moment of it!

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