As a society, we are all fans of new inventions and innovations that make our lives more convenient. Have you ever used a new tech gadget and thought to yourself, “How come no one has thought of this before?” It's that ‘palm to forehead moment’ when we realize that could have been us with the ‘next big idea’. So why isn’t that us? We are all taught to follow our dreams and reach for the sky. An entrepreneur would be the quintessential definition of this - so what is it that makes an entrepreneur different from the rest of us?
Tech in Motion Silicon Valley was thrilled to host an event featuring Adam Cheyer where a number of entrepreneurs had the chance to listen to and chat with one of Silicon Valley’s biggest success stories. Adam had the crowd of 200 techies and entrepreneurs, both aspiring and accomplished, absorbed in his inspirational talk.
Adam has co-founded a number of projects, including Siri, (later acquired by Apple), where he was the VP of Engineering. He is a founding member of Change.org, a social network focused on initiating and sustaining positive social change, and co-founder of Genetic Finance. While most entrepreneurs follow the usual advice and focus their efforts on one venture at a time, Adam simultaneously founded three while still working a day job.
Adam’s path to entrepreneurship is a little different than most Silicon Valley icons. In his 40’s, never having started a company before, he enacted a plan to take multiple ideas into the world at the same time. While fulfilling a portfolio of personal goals that included exploring his passion for technology, making a positive impact in the world, and earning some money, Adam co-founded three different companies to make breakthroughs in several technical spaces. The three technical spaces Adam wanted to impact were:
- Human to Machine – Siri, Inc.
- Human to Human - Change.org
- Machine to Machine - Genetic Finance
According to Adam, the difference between being a would-be entrepreneur and a successful one is the process one takes to actually get what they want.
“Worthwhile problems can’t just be solved," said Adam. "It’s a process.”
Most people who have an amazing idea often tend to go after too much all at once, spreading their focus thin. This is where the majority of problems they encounter, and ultimately failure, stems from. There are certain tools that are needed for a ‘successful’ idea, and the ones that have worked for Adam Cheyer include:
With these sets of tools, Adam has seen tremendous success launching his thoughts and ideas into global reality and household names. One thing to know though: there is no specific timeline to accomplish what you want.
A huge thank you to Adam Cheyer for his generous time and for inspiring Tech in Motion entrepreneurs! You can find Adam's slide show presentation on his website.
Don't forget to become a part of the Tech in Motion Silicon Valley chapter to get invites to unique events like this.