I had all the quirks needed to succeed. — Larry Ellison
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The most clicked link in Travel Tech Essentialist #138 was Lenny Rachitsky's link. 20 examples Let's find out how people are using GPT today.
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The saying ‘carry a bag’ dates back to the days when salespeople carried products from door to door. And this is exactly what Jason Lemkin (founder of SaaStr) thinks VPs should be doing now.
“Make sure the vice president you hire does the work himself first. Before you hire anyone else. Period.”
The new VP of Sales must initially close customers directly. The new VP of Marketing will first need to do demand generation herself. The new VP of Customer Success will be required to spend the first week visiting customers in person. Those seeking employment must clearly demonstrate in the interview that the applicant is willing to do the work on their own. Ask them what they will do in the first 30 days. If a candidate's answers do not reflect a willingness to adopt this old-fashioned, hands-on 'carry the bag' approach, this could signal a risky hire. Read + SaaStr
Jensen Huang, founder/CEO of NVIDIA, recalls his days working as a dishwasher and toilet cleaner, and says that to this day, he has never been entrusted with anything else. Those experiences shaped his work ethic and instilled deep humility and resilience.
If you haven't watched this 2 minute clip Watch NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang speak at Stanford. He gives a short masterclass on the true nature of greatness, emphasizing that it comes from a character shaped by adversity rather than sheer intellect.
Huang noted that one of his greatest strengths is having very low expectations, which contrasts with the high expectations typically expected of Stanford graduates. He pointed out that people with high expectations often have very low resilience, an unfortunate correlation considering the important role resilience plays in achieving success. Huang emphasized that adversity builds resilience and that NVIDIA often refers to ‘pain and suffering’ to highlight its importance. This isn't to be harsh, but it does acknowledge that overcoming challenges plays a significant role in shaping one's character and a company's culture.
Greatness is not intelligence. Greatness comes from character. Character is not formed by smart people. It was made up of people who had suffered. So my wish to you, Stanford students, is that there will be a lot of pain and suffering for you. — Jensen Huang
Adversity, failure, and rejection are part of an entrepreneur's daily life. It is time that these too are recognized as superpowers.
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Kara Lawson, head coach of the Duke University women's basketball team, echoes the theme of resilience and embraces accepting adversity as a path to growth. In an unscripted address to the players after her conversation with one of the freshmen, Lawson shared insights on how to face difficult challenges. She didn't know someone was filming her. 3 minute ‘Do it better’ talk It went viral with over 1 million views. Despite her illustrious career, which includes her Olympic gold medals and WNBA championships, it was through this speech that she touched the most lives and resonated with every entrepreneur. ESPN recently highlighted her inspirational message. 7 minute special.
“We all wait for things to get easier in life… It never gets easier. It will get more and more difficult. Then you become a better person at handling difficult tasks. So, be a person who works hard and handles things well.” — Kara Lawson, Duke women's basketball head coach
Over the past few weeks, more online travel companies have announced their 2023 results. Here's an updated comparison of revenue, marketing expenses, and market capitalization.
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This Robb Report article The range of options from standard to luxury, rivaling the comfort of business or first class on an airplane, highlights the growing appeal of bus travel. same company main lane We provide amenities such as neck pillows, blankets, and eye masks, as well as regular snack service, far exceeding travelers' expectations. Travelers are choosing buses not only as a last resort but also as their main travel option. During major holiday weekends last year, bus ridership increased 60 to 70 percent compared to the same period last year, while air travel increased 10 percent. I'm not saying the Vonlane fan club will soon rival the Swifties in numbers, but I've witnessed firsthand Vonlane's wide appeal among family members ranging in age from 10 to 85 in Texas and Tennessee. By the way, make sure to expand to New Orleans 🙂
This 4 minute video Kurt Vonnegut's lecture on the shape of a simple story is a masterclass in storytelling. Vonnegut uses a simple graph with the X-axis going from beginning to end and the Y-axis going from lucky to unlucky. Almost all of Western civilization's favorite stories follow one of the simple shapes drawn by Kurt Vonnegut. To gain a deeper understanding of how these narrative structures can improve your storytelling skills, especially in the areas of entrepreneurship and business, read on: This insightful linkedIn article Posted by Joe Lazer (but watch the video first 🙂
in Start where you are, Michael Wolfe (co-founder and CPO of Gladly) argues that the essence of a startup founder's journey is not to have all-encompassing skills, but to focus on current capabilities. And in short: Start where you are. One of the practical pieces of advice he offers is to utilize your unique combination of abilities. For example, a founder with incredible market knowledge and basic sales skills can be very effective in promoting their product.
Assume you know your market and have learned some basics about how to demonstrate and sell your product. A Venn diagram of these skills can make you one of the best in the world at introducing a specific product to a specific customer. michael wolf
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This combination of skills often makes entrepreneurs the most persuasive salespeople for their products. They have a deep understanding, passion, and practice for product promotion, which can outweigh the benefits of traditional credentials such as a Harvard MBA or experience at a top consulting firm.
Granted, this is a small sample of 1,000 American travelers, but embracing the do-nothing technique seems to be back in vogue. According to recent WSJ article, ‘Rest and relaxation’ surpassed ‘fun times’ and ‘time with immediate family’ as the main motivation for leisure travel. This has led to a surge in bookings for all-inclusive resorts (a great option for those who want to unplug completely). Even travelers who were previously accustomed to action-packed vacations are choosing trips where the biggest decision is what to order next.
More holidaymakers say they want a real break to relax and recharge. A do-nothing vacation has no agenda. It's not a beach trip with surfing or kayaking, or a culinary trip that requires hours of research and decisions. — W.S.J.
Luxury hotels stand out not only because of their luxurious rooms, but also because they offer excellent service. According to research from McKinsey, what makes a hotel truly special is how it treats its employees and guests. The hotel's leaders work hard to build a team that cares about quality and goes the extra mile for its guests. This means hiring people who naturally help others, celebrate their great work, and give them the freedom to make guests happy in their own way. To keep guests coming back, the hotel focuses on creating memorable stays with personal touches and surprises. Read + McKinsey
“I'm a fan of doormen. Because they are the first person a guest sees when they arrive and the last person they see when they leave.” — Luxury Hotel General Manager
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Mauricio Prieto