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Kaleil
Isaza Tuzman visits Villanova
By Michael Nataro '06
On March 15, Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, a serial
entrepreneur and the lead figure in the documentary film “Startup.com” spoke
in Bartley Hall to about 75
 MBA
and undergraduate Commerce and Finance students.
Tuzman’s talk primarily focused on how one becomes a
successful entrepreneur based on was he learned when his business crashed as
documented in “Startup.com.” He discussed how in 2000 he was so driven by
his ego, his desire to make money and live the high life, that he lost sight
of how to actually attain his goals. As a result, he failed miserably and
lost the millions of dollars that people had invested in him and his
venture. Learning from the mistakes he made, he was able to identify that
which makes ambitious businessmen fail – and that which makes them succeed.
Initially, Tuzman asserted what it is that makes a
good entrepreneur. “To want, to desire to be an entrepreneur is like a
thirst you can’t quench, a fire in your belly you need to tap into…you need
to have your eyes wide open for the entrepreneurial path, a path of courage,
a path of seeing what you’re made of, seeing what you can do.” He was not
able to identify these necessities for entrepreneurship and accepts
responsibility for the failure of his initial venture.
“The good thing about the American bankruptcy code
is that they are the most forgiving. You can try again, the market allows
it. Take responsibility of your failures and get back up there.” This is
exactly what Tuzman did; following the collapse of his business he went back
out to investors and raised more money than he had before. With it he bought
Jenny Craig. He now is promoting his new book “The Entrepreneur’s Success
Kit.” The main ideas of this book is how to channel the desire to be an
entrepreneur, how to be successful, and how to embrace the successes as well
as the failures. Most importantly, it discusses in great length a Socratic
philosophy Tuzman holds to the most crucial to success: know thyself.
“The
students feel like the know him. His documentary is so reveal about him
personally, how he lives, how he eats, how he breathes, the students have
felt like they have known him for years.” Dr James Klinger, associate
professor of management had much to say about Tuzman’s visit. He was very
impressed with the nature of Tuzman’s talks. “Kaleil was on a book tour, he
had opportunity to sell his new book. Instead he could not have given a more
pertinent talk about entrepreneurship to undergraduate and MBA students.
What he addressed primary was the choice of the entrepreneurial path, what
goes into it, what is involved. To experience it you must be prepared for
the failures.” |
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