What trait helps entrepreneurs persist through setbacks?

Sam Parr

Co-Founder · Hampton

Commitment

Sam Parr says commitment is what carries him through setbacks, saying he is committed and finds joy in fixing his problems and keeping moving forward.

Hala Taha

Host of Young and Profiting Podcast · Yap Media

Confidence

Hala Taha says an unreasonable confidence in themselves, bordering on egomania, is what entrepreneurs need, and that this is why they are successful.

Matthew Wilson

Co-founder and CEO · Jack and Jill

Trust Yourself

Matthew Wilson says the lesson he learned the hard way is to trust your gut, advising founders to trust themselves more rather than be talked out of decisions they feel deep down are right for their company.

The answer starts at 42:00.

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Andrew Feldman

Founder and CEO · Cerebras

Naïve Can‑Do Attitude

Andrew Feldman says you need a naive can-do attitude, because after building up scar tissue from seeing how hard companies are, otherwise you just don't attempt it again.

Scarlett Stanhope

Founder & Financial Empowerment Coach · The Biz Hippie | Empowered Abundance

Accepting Setbacks as Normal

Scarlett Stanhope says the mindset that helps her persist is accepting that it's normal for things to be hard and to fall back, because growth isn't a straight line.

Ryan Shearman

CEO & Co-founder · Loa Carbon

Relentlessness

Ryan Shearman points to relentlessness, saying it is equally as important as smart strategy when putting effort toward whatever you're trying to solve, though neither alone is worth everything.

The answer starts at 31:11.

Crystal Bell

Founder & Chief Clarity Officer

Learning How to Start

Crystal Bell says learning how to start is the through line that helped her, since it taught her to be new at things and build community, friendships, and empathy.

Eric Siu ✓

CEO · Single Grain | Start Growing

Keep Going

Eric Siu says he got through setbacks by taking one step forward every day and says people succeed because they keep going.

The answer starts at 2:08.

Sridhar Ramaswamy

Chief Executive Officer · Snowflake

Belief

Sridhar Ramaswamy says belief, because every startup is an act of believing you can do something others have not done, and founders need to believe they can do something better.

Jesse Stein

Founder & CEO · Hermetic Ai

Persistence

Jesse Stein says persistence is one of the key ingredients to being a successful entrepreneur, reasoning that non-catastrophic failures let you learn and adjust course.

Landon Cooley

CEO, Co-Founder at Pest Share · Pest Share

Love the Chaos

Landon Cooley says you have to love the chaos and the challenges of startup life, because being in a startup is hard and it is what you sign up for.

Sasha Orloff

Member of Staff · Accrual

Optimism

Sasha Orloff says one of the things he's taken from his experience is to stay optimistic, saying founders should power through tough times because when things go bad something good is coming around the corner.

Capacity to Take Pain

Travis Kalanick names the capacity to take pain — being able to take more pain than the other guy — as core to the entrepreneurial lifestyle, since it means taking on a life of adversity and overcoming it constantly.

Sharad Kumar

Co-Founder & CEO · FluidCloud

Resilience

Sharad Kumar says the primary muscle for the entrepreneurship marathon is resilience—not getting disheartened—because many people told them their goal was impossible, yet they are now doing it.

Neka Pasquale LAc MS

Founder & Chief Product Officer · Urban Remedy

Vision

Neka Pasquale LAc MS says vision is what really guides a founder's company, because it is their own creation and belief; she says it is critically important to always hold that vision.

Jensen Huang

Founder and CEO · Nvidia

Resilience

Jensen Huang says resilience is what carries him through setbacks: getting through one morning, then the next, for as long as it takes, and letting the suffering come a little at a time.

Kabir Siddiq

Founder & CEO · Sleepycat

Thick Skin

Kabir Siddiq says entrepreneurs need thick skin, saying you have to show up every day no matter your mood, and that persistence and perseverance are what get you there.

Gabrielle Marquez

Founder Solutions Lead · Finstrat Management

Best Effort

Gabrielle Marquez answers that making a best effort is the mindset, since if you go to zero, as long as you're satisfied you made a best effort, so be it.

Andy Frisella

Chief Executive Officer · 1st Phorm International

Growth Mindset

Andy Frisella says a growth mindset means seeing hard situations as where you get better and learn, and that welcoming them is what teaches you to be great at what you do.