Adil Wali

Character

It's really interesting to think about business school from the paradigm of character.  I guess it's broadly difficult to notice the character of an organization-- because there are so many personalities and passions in the mix.  But when you zoom into the individual level, character really is everything.  It's what sets one apart.  Plenty of people are smart and/or hard working.  But only a handful of people have the character to stand up for what's right or to stick through a tough endeavor through thick or thin.  It's the latter part -- the one of character -- that really makes the difference between mediocrity and amazing accomplishments.

The character of Tepper is an interesting one, and one I have only recently become qualified to discuss.  Because I feel that I have only recently gotten a handle on the many characters that represent this place.  What I have find through this relationship-building is that is that our school can be characterized by a number of very positive attributes -- such as hard working, passionate, and clearly driven.  I have found that so many of my colleagues are really dedicated and motivated to reach their end goal, whatever it might be.  And honestly, that pushes me even harder to achieve the things that I dream about. 

It was only recently that I though back to all of the great b-schools I was accepted to, and I thought about whether or not Tepper was the right choice.  And I thought through all of the amazing opportunities I've had, such as winning the Moot Corp competition and opening the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, or my company being recently acquired by a fantastic company.  And just the great interactions I have had with really intelligent and motivated people.. and I realize that I definitely made the right choice. 

This place changed my life -- and I owe a great deal of my future success (if any) to the Tepper School of Business. 

iCap

Intellectual capital is an interesting term-- and one that I would say has a lot of different definitions in different circles.  The definition that makes the most sense to me is the one that describes it much like the intangibles or "good will" of a business.  I guess when the definition is put that way, it becomes clear that intellectual capital is about the only reason i attended Tepper.  The amazing faculty were the initial draw, and the amazing students are what kept me engaged. 

When I leave here, i don't think I am going to remember this place for the beauty of the building, the abundance of workspace, or even the classrooms.  I think what will stand out the most are the experiences I've had with truly brilliant people who have impacted my life very significantly.  It never was, and never is about, the the typical criteria for me.  Just like entrepreneurship, a lot of the MBA experience is about the team you work with. 

The right entrepreneurial environment...

There are a number of things that I think make Tepper a great place to build a startup.  What strikes me as most valuable is the way that faculty can guide you through the tough decisions of entrepreneurship.  The Enterepreneurial Fellows program is so small that I know I get a lot of one-on-one time with professors. 

I have a great number of mentors here, without whom I would be entirely lost.  What's more is that there is a close-knit group of entrepreneurial students who I can bounce ideas off of or come to when I am having trouble. 

It's hard to describe a good entrepreneurial environment, or even the ideal one, but I guess I would say that there are a few necessary ingredients.  The first is a personable environment that doesn't feel intimidating or too large to be comfortable.  The second is a group of experienced people who love to help.  The third is passion. 

I'm lucky enough to be in a place with all three.

Confidence .. arrogance .. determination. ..

Courtesy of Merriam-Webster:
Confidence:
1 a : a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances   <had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed>   <met the risk with brash confidence> b : faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way   <have confidence in a leader>

Arrogance:
: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

Determination:
3 a : the act of deciding definitely and firmly; also : the result of such an act of decision b : firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end   <a woman of great courage and determination>

What is the difference between all three of these words?   Well, to most people, probably a lot.  To me, not that much.  They begin to blend together as you think about what it really means to embody one of them.  At the end of the day, you need a little bit of confidence, arrogance, and determination to succeed as an entrepreneur. 

OK, so before I go any further, let me note that I am completely unqualified to make claims regarding successful entrepreneurship.  But I've been fortunate enough here at CMU to interact with more than my fair share of successful serial entrepreneurs.  This is the vibe I get from them. 

If you aren't confident, then you are pretty much doomed from the start in regards to starting a company.  But, the real question is, would you find yourself in the startup situation to begin with without confidence? 

Arrogance is potentially the most controversial of the three key components listed, and probably for good reason.  The best way I can defend it is this: if something like 1 in 10 startups get funded, and 2 in 10 of funded companies succeed, you are looking at a 2% chance of success.  And most of the folks starting companies are qualified or, at least, competent.  If you are an entrepreneur, you really must believe that the rules don't apply to you.  That's arrogance if you ask me. 

Determination is the most crucial piece of the startup lifestyle.  You have to make the call and then stick through it in the face of all adversity.  Well, at some point you have to be smart enough to know when to throw in the towel.  But you need enough determination to keep through the hardest parts (typically the parts that involve costs without revenue). 

In closing, and in hopes that I can salvage a point in all of this rambling, I guess what I am saying is that confidence isn't worth much on it's own.  It's a critical component to success, but on it's own, it guarantees you nothing. 

Stay strong...

Wow! I knew that pursuing entrepreneurship wouldn't be easy, but I never expected to be challenged so much on a daily basis.  Maybe my assumption was that I would be challenged in big ways relatively infrequently.  That's not turning out to be the case. 

I am finding myself face-to-face with a new challenge every day as I work with my fellow co-founders to shape our product, get in touch with customers, and raise money.  Our company, Vintake Media, is developing a video distribution platform that will enable content hosts to cut costs dramatically while maintaining their quality of video. 

Online video is a hot space right now, and I have to admit that I feel a pang of fear every time I read another article about a start-up company that will potentially compete with us.  Sometimes I just want to keep my head buried in the sand and not have any idea what our competitors are doing.  I'd sleep better at night.. but I guess good CEOs aren't destined to sleep much.