7 Things for Entrepreneurs to Be Thankful For

Josh Zywien

November 28, 2013

This is the time of year to slow down and take a moment to think about — and more deeply appreciate — the things we’re truly thankful for.

Maybe it’s a friend or family member, our health, jobs, and kids, or maybe it’s something a little less tangible. Whatever it may be, without those things or people, we wouldn’t be who we are and we couldn’t accomplish the things we do everyday.

And that’s not just true for our personal lives.

In business, it takes the right mix of people, processes, tools, good fortune, and smarts to make a company tick, and without those things, an entrepreneur would simply be another person with an unrealized idea.

So, what (or who) are you thankful for this year? To offer a little inspiration, here are seven things that other successful entrepreneurs say they’re most appreciative of.

1) Entrepreneurial Freedom

“Not having to ask permission to try something crazy.”

— Dharmesh Shah, CTO and Co-founder, Hubspot

Source: OnStartups.com

2) Challenges

“I’m thankful for the way the always-changing field of SEO constantly forces me to learn new things and update my skills. I left the 9-to-5 world because I wasn’t feeling challenged — and I definitely can’t say that that’s true about SEO!”

— Sujan Patel, CEO and Founder, Single Grain

Source: SujanPatel.com

3) Remarkable Colleagues

“I’ve never been motivated by money. My peers and colleagues inspire me.”

— Robin Chase, Founder, Buzzcar and Zipcar

Source: StartupsFM

4) Mentors and Advisors

“I am blessed with an extraordinary team of advisors that guide me through my growth pains — both personal and professional. My trusted advisors, mentors, and masterminders see my vulnerabilities and insecurities, and yet they never waiver in their belief in me.”

— Marissa Levin, CEO and Founder, Successful Culture

Source: SuccessfulCulture.com

5) Co-Founders

“Finding a great co-founder is the single most important decision you will make in your company’s history, and it also happens to be the first. It has taken me 10 years of entrepreneurship and a lot of heartbreak to find the right co-founder.”

— Ari Mir, CEO, Pocket Change

Source: PandoDaily

6) Community

“Being part of a startup community as strong as the one we have [in Las Vegas] means there are people to bounce new ideas off of and celebrate your successes with. All of the founders and startup teams want the community to succeed. We are united in a single goal, which makes it that much more likely to be reached!”

Jacqueline Jensen, COO and Co-founder, TicketCake

Source: Women 2.0

7) Critics

“If they are unhappy about something and take the time to get in touch, that shows they really care. And not many people are willing to tell us where we’re messing up, so it is incredibly useful information to receive. The cool part is that by truly seeing it from their point of view and empathizing with them, the most vocal critics can become your biggest evangelists.”

Joel Gascoigne, CEO and Founder, Buffer

Source: LifeHacker

What We’re Thankful For

Here at OpenView, we’re thankful, too — for the chance to work with our portfolio companies, for our inspiring and innovative partners throughout the tech industry, and for you, our readers. Thank you for being the purpose behind everything we do!

What are you thankful for this year? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

Photo by: Jen Collins