Celebrity endorsements are not a new marketing concept. It is a time-honored marketing tool, dating back as late as 1930s for radio advertising, 1950s for TV advertising and as recent as 1990s for the internet. This framework hinges on borrowing a celebrity’s star power to build product awareness. The strategy behind celebrity endorsements are to [...]
A wealthy Singh walks into a bank in London and asks for the loan officer. He says he's going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow £5000. The bank officer says the bank will need some kind of security for the loan, so Mr Singh hands over the keys to a [...]
Gurbaksh Chahal is a man of remarkable fate. One of the youngest millionaires in the digital industry, over the years he founded four companies, each of them more successful than its predecessor. However, it was not a path strewn with rose petals, and he learned some very important lessons along the way. These days Gurbaksh [...]
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) now being seen as an essential tool in various sectors, it is important for our generation to incorporate innovative dynamic learning needs into our global education system. But when cutting-edge sectors evolve at lightning pace, it is not always possible for traditional sectors to change at the same speed. My company, [...]
Negotiating is something we all do on a daily basis. We do it in our personal lives as well as our professional lives. Often, without even thinking about it. But many people find it difficult when negotiating in a formal business setting. They become intimidated and tongue-tied. They give away real dollars and percentages without [...]
Success. It’s got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends. The system will fail you. You will realize the more successful you become, you have a target on your back. And, that back is after you. It may even make you realize the system is designed [...]
Doubt: Doubt is a killer. The more you doubt that you can accomplish your dreams and goals, the more you manifest that result. As much as people glamorize hustling, most of the work isn’t glamorous. It requires more time, more energy, and more dedication than most are willing to invest. It isn’t easy, and it [...]
The definition of a “Doer” is someone who bleeds the Company's vision and believes the greater purpose. When asked to jump, their only response is “How high?” A thinker is someone that will question why they need to jump; why everyone needs to jump; why there is even a purpose to jump. And, by not [...]
"Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of, who do the things that no one can imagine." Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it will last [...]
It’s a sad fact of life that whenever someone accomplishes something truly great there always seem to be others who want to take it away from them. The reasons why are many and varied. Envy. Bitterness. Resentment. Rivalry. Greed. Opportunism. A whole suite of negative human emotions. I’ve always admired and respected entrepreneurs, business leaders [...]
So imagine this, you have an amazing startup. It’s got a catchy name, you have the right team in place (I hope), the product is fully functional (this is kind of important) and you’re starting to gain customers or users. But, one thing is missing. You aren’t really getting the attention you wanted…the buzz you [...]
Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear. "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change." Darwin said it best and his quote resonates well for the way we conduct our choices in [...]
"Stay focused & keep shipping" is what Zuckerberg posted when Facebook announced it would do its IPO. While it had a bumpy first year, it is now one of the most valuable companies in the world with a market cap of over $230 billion. How does success happen? Easy. You have to embrace failure first. [...]
It's how you rise from a fall that truly defines you as a man. Basketball legend Michael Jordan knows a lot about persistence. Discussing his stellar career he once noted that he had missed more than 9,000 shots and had lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions when he had been entrusted with the game [...]
There's an old saying with which we’re all familiar, and its true: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. It’s of paramount importance, so, whenever you meet someone for the first time—especially in a business environment—you always put your best foot forward. Within a matter of seconds of meeting someone I’m [...]
A young student at Pace University recently asked me a great question: What would you do differently if you’d known at the age of 16, what you know now? I answered the question on the spot but it struck a chord to such an extent that I gave it even more serious thought ever since. [...]
Stay in school. Turn off the TV. Stop reading the headlines. I’m sorry, but you are not going to change the world. At least not right away. First and foremost, don’t get lost in the hype of Silicon Valley. Focus on your higher education so you can attain the necessary tools that will help you [...]
Everybody negotiates all the time. It’s part of everyday life. But most people just don’t have what it takes when it comes to getting the best personal outcome. They get jittery. They squirm. Some are stretched so far beyond their comfort zone they can literally feel ill. But in business being able to successfully close [...]
“Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, “You Owe Me.” Look at what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.” Not only in the world of business, but also in the grand scheme of things, in order to thrive in today's society - you have to [...]
We all have our low points. Whether they are personal or professional. We hit roadblocks and obstacles all the time. At some point, we think quitting is the only option. But, let me be the first to say the day you quit, is the day you lose forever. Nobody remembers that journey and nobody wants [...]
"If your actions inspire others to do more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." It’s tough to get anywhere in the world of business if you’re not able to display leadership. If you want to quarterback a winning team you need to be assertive in exhibiting your skills at being [...]
Some people dismiss intuition out-of-hand; they scornfully regard it as a lucky guess. Others, on the other hand, regard intuition as some kind of mystical power. For me, I think of it as a great gift that cannot be ignored and I agree with the statement of one well-known writer: “Intuition is seeing with the [...]
Grow a thick skin—a very thick skin. People will question your ability to succeed, and the loudest among them might make you doubt your own talents, so you’ll need a thick skin to drown out the noise. The silence will help you focus on your objective, and you will prevail. Here are 10 ways that [...]
Confidence is a unifying trait amongst the most successful people in the world. It’s the confidence to push past the word “no” and to pursue your dream despite the looming possibility of failure. Confident people are the people who aren’t afraid to take a stance and change the world; they stretch across nearly every realm [...]
When the universe is with us, we choose to smile, even in pain. We understand during confusion. We trust during betrayal; and we continue to fight without fear. We Dream. We Create. We Motivate. We Inspire. We Change. We Innovate. We Disrupt. We Execute. We Have Purpose. We Never Give Up.
99% is execution. 1% is the idea. Nine out of ten venture-backed companies fail. Ever wonder, why? Well, there are many different things. But, we will focus on one today. One out of ten start-ups survive. From that 10%, nine out of those ten will turn into zombies; an illiquid asset. Meaning, it may print [...]
From when I began my first company at 16, to starting my second company just years later, “You just got lucky” was something I heard as if it was everyone’s duty. Truth is, there is no luck. Luck doesn’t exist. A coincidence, maybe? But, luck is just a bi-product of hard work, dedication, and discipline. [...]
What does “Davinci IITM” mean to you? It’s a method of Attraction. What does the “4” symbolize? These are the four stages of a customer journey: Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. Imagination is defined by how creativity allows you to connect with a purpose. Our purpose was to bring Automation, Simplicity, and Design to the marketplace. [...]
As 2015 rolls right around the corner, it’s time to start with a clean slate. Do something new, become that leader you’ve always wanted to be. One of my core philosophies has always been, “Don’t ask for permission, ask for forgiveness.” That means, jump out of your comfort zone and just do that extraordinary thing [...]
If you look at some of the top entrepreneurs, they all have a few things in common. It’s what has made them who they are today. What has driven their success time and time again. Here are six traits that made them who they are. Age is just a number. This one is something I [...]
Forget Failure In school, if you perform poorly on a test, you’ve “failed.” If you couldn’t turn something on time, because you were busy working on material for another class, you’ve “failed.” The idea of failure has caused many to turn to cheating, copying, and other means of deception at a young age. Contrary to [...]
If I could go back in time, at the age of 16, I would have loved to read this list as I embarked the path of entrepreneurism. I’m sure it would have given me valuable insights into the mistakes that I could I have avoided. But, nevertheless here are some key lessons from my book, [...]
Success has never come to anyone. Leaders went and created it for themselves. Most never had someone to carefully guide them, or offer mentorship, which is why it’s so important to learn from their previous choices. If you want to be one step closer to obtaining that success, here are 5 C’s I’ve learned to [...]
What does Davinci IITM mean to you? Davinci IITM is a method of attraction. Life is a journey. We go through four phases in life. These stages begin from the moment our life starts to the very last second. ■ Birth ■ Adolescence ■ Adulthood ■ Parenthood All of these phases bring separate emotions into our lives. Through life, [...]
It’s been a long time coming. And whether or not you agree with the New York Times headline “Apple Is Back, Better Than Ever” there’s no doubt that Apple’s unveiling of new products yesterday has immense significance for our industry. Much has already been said about the products themselves—in old-fashioned print, on TV and online. [...]
Hustle sometimes has a bad name. For me it doesn't - it's working toward your ambition surrounded by discipline and purpose. There is a key difference between someone who is a hustler, and someone who will be invariably be hustled. Unfortunately, most people will continue to be hustled without the conscious attention to realize it. [...]
Overloaded? Overwhelmed? Feel like you’re juggling too many projects and struggling to get anything finished? There aren’t enough hours in the day? There’s just too much happening and it’s flat out exhausting? Perhaps it’s time to step back, assess your priorities and get focused? Go-getting entrepreneurs often have a new idea every minute, each one [...]
I've always considered rejection to be a blessing in disguise. It teaches you two things, to prepare for your next move and to realize it may not be the right time, but never give up. What do all big CEO’s have in common? They have all been rejected many times throughout their lifetime. How you [...]
It has to be the greatest comeback story in the history of the digital world. I’m talking about when Steve Jobs returned from exile to transform Apple and lead it back on its journey to be the global powerhouse that it is today. What did Jobs do when he first regained the reins back in [...]
Entrepreneurship is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs. It can be a crazy, manic ride with highs and lows. You hurtle along at a breakneck pace. It’s exciting. It’s exhilarating. It’s awesome. It’s mind-blowing. The ride can get scary, especially when there’s a sudden precipitous fall. But the good news is [...]
In the TV show “Suits” (just renewed for a fifth season) attorney Harvey Specter—brilliantly played by actor Gabriel Macht—is known as “the best closer in New York City.” He’s confident and speaks his mind. Quick-witted and intelligent. And he delivers great one-liners. Of course, he’s not without his flaws but he thinks outside of the [...]
Resilience. Commitment. Passion. These three words are characteristics. Characteristics of someone who isn’t willing to give up. Someone who isn’t going to accept anything but success. Someone who’s dictionary doesn’t include the words - failure or giving up. These are some of the most captivating character traits one can possess. It’s true, some may take [...]
You’ve heard the saying, “The sky’s the limit.” It’s meant to indicate that you can achieve anything; that humans can reach beyond the bounds of planet Earth and enjoy limitless success. I think it’s an antiquated term. I prefer to believe that the sky is definitely NOT the limit. Why be limited by anything? Strictly [...]
I don’t know all the answers. No-one does. But if you want to rise to the top in any organization you need to know the right questions to ask. You need to question yourself and you need to question the members of your team. Every day. Repeatedly. When you ask questions of yourself you need [...]
Entrepreneurs aren't born. It’s who they are. It’s in their hearts and souls. It’s in their very essence. The entire DNA of the most successful of entrepreneurs buzzes and throbs 24 hours a day with the entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial attributes. There’s a switch that can’t be turned off. Do you have what it takes? [...]
Ambition. Discipline. Love. They are three essential components that define success. And, they connect you with a deeper emotion, purpose. Each one of those words gives us a reason to follow through, to create the next revolution, and to make the jump. The secret to combining all three to create success, is knowing how to [...]
Innovate! Do something new. Break new ground. The way that great companies grow and expand and become game-changing superstars is by creating something entirely different—or by building a better mousetrap. No company can afford to stagnate. No company can become complacent. No company can be smug and self-satisfied. Look what happened to Apple. It was [...]
Davinci IITM is my fourth major business launch. After three successful endeavors I appreciate that some people might question why I’m doing it all over again. Why don’t I slow down? Why don’t I just “enjoy” coasting or be jetting around the globe? Why don’t I sit back and make the most of this so-called [...]
Many companies are successful. Many companies are extremely profitable. Many companies become national brands. Some companies expand across the globe. And then there are those companies that are in a league of their own—the game-changing companies. They don’t follow the rules; they break them and change them. Iconoclastic companies such as Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and [...]
I've been fortunate to know a few things about successful startups. I’m blessed to have created three major endeavors that have struck gold, and I’m getting ready to launch my fourth in 36 hours. This has given me the opportunity to reflect on some of the essential attributes and components of entrepreneurs seeking to win [...]
Staring any new business is a massive undertaking only for the brave. Whatever the scale of your venture it is likely to be an all-consuming life-altering passion, especially in the early days. Sadly, many new companies fall by the wayside. The Small Business Administration says that only half of new establishments survive five years and [...]
As a wise man once said: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Fast forward to 2014 and apply his thought to today’s explosion of entrepreneurialism—especially in the high-tech space—and you have to agree with him. It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you have the [...]
As a famous author once said, “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” Defeats and failures happen often in life. Whether in your business career or your personal relationships. But you should regard them as inevitable milestones that you hit on the path to accomplishment. You can choose to wallow in [...]
The journey to become a successful entrepreneur is sometimes like jumping out of space free-falling and hoping your parachute opens. You can be sure of reaching new highs and plummeting to new lows—and then back to the top again. It’s a journey that’s crammed with excitement; a ride in which you overcome fear; a ride [...]
Becoming the top brand in any market segment requires leadership qualities second-to-none. But it’s a position every seriously dedicated entrepreneur should strive to achieve. In doing so, as you travel along your journey, you will ratchet up your performance and get far-reaching results. These are the key attributes I suggest you seek to master if [...]
Go with your gut. That’s what I’ve always done. And, most of the time, it’s worked remarkably well. I’ve made major decisions in my life based on a gut feel of the right thing to do. I listened to the inner voice that pointed me in the direction marked “success.” Then, I didn’t second-guess myself. [...]
As I said before, Impatience is a virtue! Company Number 4 is officially underway. And, we're already adding talented entrepreneurs to the team daily. If you are an Adtech entrepreneur and want to join the revolution in launching the next generation Marketing Operating System, send your resume to hr@chahal.com. We'd love to hear from you and [...]
As a wise man once said, “I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it. I’m competitive by nature. Always have been. Always will be. It's just part of my DNA. From as early as I can remember I’ve been blessed with a never-say-die fighting [...]
"A ship in a harbor is safe but that's not why ships are built." That is a powerful quote and it can also be used for how we live our lives in general. Do we want to play it safe or do we want to discover our purpose? In every successful entrepreneur there’s an element [...]
Start small. Think Big. When you’re getting a business off the ground you should certainly have big dreams. No-one ever got anywhere by thinking and acting small-time. Have a clear vision and set your sights high. Thinking small, however, is equally essential when it comes to your business overhead and operating expenses. It’s entirely possible [...]
What makes a great entrepreneur? Who achieves the American dream of prosperity and success through the application of sheer hard work, determination and innovation? Look at the numbers and you’ll find good evidence that immigrants and others who come from nothing are the ones who make it to the top. A study by the Partnership [...]
If you ask me, I think everyone has an entrepreneur inside of them. It’s just about whether you bring it out and showcase it to the world. Thinking like an entrepreneur forces one to constantly think outside the box. When one draws outside the lines, the end result tends to spell out great things. As they [...]
I’ve got a warning for big brand advertisers who fail to embrace the latest developments in technology: if you don’t learn the language of data you’re going to be left out in the cold. This week is an opportune time to reiterate and reemphasize these points as some of the world’s greatest advertising creatives and [...]
The state of my industry—online advertising—is strong. And getting stronger all the time. In fact, over the course of my 15 years in the industry, I’ve never been more bullish and optimistic about the prospects that lie ahead. I've seen the industry evolve from brokerage, commodity and entering a new era of automation. This year [...]
Six years ago today, I signed my first book publishing deal to write The Dream, a memoir of my life journey of coming to America, dropping out of high school and by the age of 25 founding two companies worth $340 million. Since, then I’ve continued my love for entrepreneurship and have grown my fourth company, [...]
Every executive needs to understand the power of social media to help drive awareness for his company and his own personal brand. The dynamics of the digital world dictate that any business leader who doesn’t stay on top of the ever-changing landscape is destined to see their business erode or be deemed irrelevant. Whether you [...]
Show me a person with a vision, the passion to win, and the absolute will & desire to succeed. And, I’ll tell you that success is inevitable. If you don't read the entire article. Just remember one rule when it comes to business. 99% of the work is execution, 1% is only the idea. That's [...]
At Davinci IITM we’ve just taken a bold move and expanded into six new markets overseas—Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, The Netherlands and Australia this quarter. This move follows our phenomenal growth in the UK, France and Canada building on our initial success in the U.S. As you can imagine opening up new markets is a complicated [...]
Entrepreneurs inevitably encounter numerous obstacles from the first day they have a business dream. It’s an arduous journey to make and just as inevitably many business people fall at the first hurdle, or the second or third. To make the transition from would-be entrepreneur to successful entrepreneur requires an abundance of positive character traits. In [...]
On February 20th, 2014 I hosted another guest lecture at Pace University. A place that holds a very special place in my heart. In 2008, I served as a keynote speaker at the 5th Annual Pace University Pitch Contest. In 2009, I served as their Entrepreneur in Residence. In 2010, I officially started the Gurbaksh [...]
So many entrepreneurs want to have first-mover advantage. You feel compelled to get your breakthrough product into the marketplace ahead of the competition. You want the bragging rights of being the first and, of course, you know that because you’re ahead of the pack you will easily establish a dominant position. Right? Except, it’s not [...]
Startups stand little chance of making it. Sadly, three out of four companies are doomed to fail. But not your company. You’re going to be one of the 25 percent that succeed — If you’re willing to listen to some advice and steer clear of some fundamental and fatal mistakes that many entrepreneurs make. I’ve made [...]
There’s an ongoing battle that most entrepreneurs and high-flying business professionals wage within themselves. And that’s how to balance their time between their personal and professional lives. When you’re building your own business or passionately pursuing the career of your dreams it’s all too easy to throw yourself into it all hours of the day [...]
Today, Facebook announced the acquisition of WhatsApp, the largest acquisition of any venture backed company in history. Started in 2009, the Company only raised $8 million and today is used by 450 million users globally across their mobile devices per month. Another remarkable stat is that - it only has 50 employees and never embraced [...]
No-one doubts that over the course of the last century Nelson Mandela was one of the giants on the world stage. When he died in December 2013 there was a joyous celebration of his life and of his remarkable accomplishments that poured into the streets of South Africa and was instantly transmitted across the globe. [...]
The world is changing at a rapidly accelerating pace. What you learn today can quickly become outdated. HOW to learn, though, is a skill that lasts a lifetime. When you think about it—it makes sense for us to be taught how to learn before we are taught any specific subject matter. But rarely, if ever, does that [...]
When you step on the first rung of the entrepreneurial ladder your team is often a team of one—and that’s you. You wear all of the hats and work all hours of the day as you strive to realize your dream. And, if you’re like me, you do it all from the bedroom of your [...]
If you need any words of encouragement. Here’s a speech I recently came across that resonates with me on what “balance” really means in life from the former CEO of Coca-Cola, Brian Dyson. Hope it does it for you as well… Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in [...]
Happy 60th Birthday Oprah! There aren’t many people in the world who are instantly recognizable by their first names. Oprah is one of them. She celebrated her birthday today and in the course of her remarkable life journey has scored success after success in many different aspects of human endeavor. I know that from my [...]
Success doesn’t come by accident. It comes from consistent hard work in pursuit of a dream. It comes from a passion that drives you, day and night. And it also comes from constantly and diligently employing some key habits that position you for greatness. Over the past three years my new venture, Davinci IITM, has in [...]
As we enter 2014, advertising is shifting in many ways. One thing that is not changing, however, is ads themselves. Consumers are exposed to hundreds of ads per day across several touch points. Unfortunately, the majority of those ads are still of no interest to the consumer. This will be the year marketers learn how [...]
Nothing worthwhile in life comes easy. You will never see success without hard work, determination and the ability to make tough decisions. Sometimes you have to be ruthless for the sake of the company, your employees and, of course, yourself. But it’s equally as important to have a strong moral code and to conduct yourself [...]
In his article on Facebook and the growth of mobile ads, Farhad Manjoo of the Wall Street Journal talks about the somewhat unexpected success of mobile ads over the past year and the growing tolerance that consumers (including himself) have for them. From where I sit, now on my third ad tech startup, I agree with [...]
In 2014, we'll see brands and agencies harness digital advertising in a way that integrates seamlessly with people's busy lives, whether through location retargeting on their mobile devices, predictive analytics or the intelligent automation of the ad buying process. Consumers send buying signals every day to advertisers and the brands that figure out how to [...]
One of the first crucial lessons I learned when I first went into business at the ripe old age of sixteen was how to listen. This was due to the fact that all of my business dealings happened on the phone since my ‘office’ was in fact my bedroom in my parents’ house. I was [...]
Mobile phones have quickly become the remote controls to our daily lives. Next year brands will begin utilizing location-based data to more effectively reach consumers and successfully convert customers across the web and mobile. eMarketer estimates that mobile ad spend will spike from $8.4 billion in 2012 to $37 billion in 2016. But in order for the [...]
Joel – The first company you created “Click Agents” was founded by you at the age of 16 and not long after that, it sold for $40 million. Nine years later you sold your second company “Blue Lithium” to Yahoo for $300 Million. Making close to half a billion dollars in the space of 9 years, [...]
If you want to start a billion dollar company, there are three things you should know: The odds aren’t good At the moment, there were only 39 companies in the United States that are worth over $1 billion that started within the last 10 years. But, about 50,000 new companies get funded every year, so [...]
We're all aware how A-list actors such as George Clooney and Brad Pitt usually make about $20 million up front and then 10% of the back-end to appear in a new motion picture. But if a performer really believes in their ability to bring people into theaters, the smart ones take far less, sometimes even zero dollars for a [...]
People want others to fail because that is human nature. People will not gloat about success. They will gloat about failure. It’s just the fact of life. In the first stage of my company I had no money. I had no education. I had every reason to need to succeed, so I succeeded and I [...]
There are good addictions and there are bad addictions. Good entrepreneurs, serial entrepreneurs, become addicted to success where they want to challenge themselves from one step to the next step. A lot of the times people are only motivated by money and sometimes they have one hit and that’s it or sometimes they basically have [...]
At the age of 16 I dropped out to start my first company and I think the advantage that ended up happening at that time is when you’re young you really don’t have the concept of failure. You don’t really have the concept of fear. That’s why even when you’re younger than that you can [...]
Marketers are accustomed to investing quite a lot of capital to build their core audiences. Until now, that’s mostly meant collecting mounds of data from multiple sources such as agencies, in-house metrics, marketing analytics companies and the social web, analyzing this data for trends and relevant insights before extracting the actionable information and deciding where [...]
I meet a lot of entrepreneurs that actually fall on the side of being perfectionists and perfectionists are those people that need everything to be tightened up, need everything to be coded correctly and need everything to look a certain way before they press the on button. In my opinion those entrepreneurs never succeed because [...]
At the age of 16 I dropped out of school to start my first company and I think the advantage that ended up happening at that time is when you’re young you really don’t have the concept of failure. You don’t really have the concept of fear. That’s why even when you’re younger than that you [...]
With the proliferation of real-time social technologies, marketing has quickly moved away from traditional display ad channels towards how brands can better harness “now” moments. The highly-anticipated release of Twitter's ad API will accelerate this trend as brands learn to automate their Twitter campaigns and compare the results with what they are currently doing in [...]
Although startups and tech companies are widely known to be job creators, they can also be volatile due to the competitive industry in which they exist. Despite their innovative and often game-changing approach, startups function in a high-risk environment with the chance of being squeezed out at any moment. However, with that risk comes endless [...]
Advertising is one of the most dynamic and creative industries on the planet, and one that changes rapidly with each passing second. The field of ad technology, in particular, is constantly propelled forward by the introduction of new innovations and approaches for harnessing online intelligence to attract potential customers. For the first LinkedIn post on [...]
The ad industry is charging forward at a rapid pace and only those companies who innovate will survive. This past year, we witnessed many innovations in the advertising arena, including the launch of Facebook’s real-time bidding platform Facebook Exchange (FBX), the introduction of real-time hashtag targeting, and multiple acquisitions. Therefore, brands and agencies alike are working [...]
Fear is your worst enemy – risk is your best friend. The best thing about the unknown is the meaning itself: If success were guaranteed, the journey wouldn't be the same. And the journey is actually what inspires and shapes us to understand that success isn't supposed to be easy, it's supposed to be worth it. [...]
