Her are your chances statistically at life: Chances of becoming a millionaire: 1% Chances of becoming a billionaire: .00002% Chances of winning the lottery: .000001% Odds of getting a royal flush on your first five cards: 1 in 649,740. Odds of becoming U.S. President: 1 in 323,100,000. Odds of winning $340 million jackpot in MegaMillions…
Having a rough morning? Place your hand over your heart. Feel that? That’s called purpose. Don’t ever give up. Everyone struggles with insecurities. They make us vulnerable. And, they either make us or break us. We all have them, after all we’re humans. It’s how we deal with them that separate us. We have this inner voice…
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…
1. If you’re helping someone and expecting something in return, you’re doing business not kindness. Do good and expect nothing in return. It’ll become your life’s greatest gift. ~ Gurbaksh Chahal 2. If you don’t make things happen then things will happen to you. ~ Robert Collier 3. A business has to be involving, it has…
“Everything starts with a dream, a particle of our imagination that teases us of what the future could be like, as long as we fight for it.” Life is made up of moments. Most of the life we live, we don’t remember. Even if it’s stored somewhere on our mental hard drives, retrieving most memories…
The Mona Lisa, painted by one of the most brilliant Italian artists of all time, Leonardo da Vinci, is acclaimed to be “his best known, most visited, most written about, most sung about, and the most parodied work of art in the world.” Historians claim Leonardo began painting his masterpiece in 1503, working on 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…
This is a question only a very few can comprehend, understand, and answer. And, I’m one of them. When I was 16, I dropped out of high school and began my entrepreneurial journey. And, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be as successful as I am. Conversely, I never thought what success…
“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.” Monetary success can be a powerful motivator, and it can control people. It chooses careers. It dictates how time, energy and…
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…
Whenever someone thinks of the 1%, they immediately think about wealth. I’m here to talk about the 1% that live their dreams. The doers, the achievers, the risk-takers. 1% of everything you do is driven by an idea or a thought. But, an idea isn’t what drives success, 99% of success is driven by execution….
“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….
There is a claim that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs left behind a deathbed essay about how the “non-stop pursuit of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.” To many entrepreneurs, he is a legend and the epitome of success, having created the most valuable company in the world, and […]
We’re all intelligent—in one way or another. The architect uses a different kind of intelligence to a neurologist; a master carpenter is different to a scientist; a concert pianist to a mathematician; a motivational speaker to…well, you get the point. There are different ways of acknowledging and measuring intelligence and the idea of a fixed…
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…
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” In five minutes, I can look someone in the eye and figure out if they are going to survive and have what it takes to win. Is this someone who has the charisma? Chemistry tells me everything. It’s amazing, how much we’re…
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…
“A miracle is just a shift in perception from fear to love.” -Marianne Williamson A friend recently read this to me, and it hit me in a big way. The deeper I thought about the message attributed in this quote, the more I realized how life as we know is defined by fear and love. And…
“The Greatest Life pleasure is doing what people say you cannot do.” There comes a time in the life of most entrepreneurs when the challenges seem overwhelming. You’ve suffered one setback after another and you seriously think about throwing in the towel. You question yourself. Maybe you don’t have what it takes after all? Maybe…
We’ve all heard the saying before: Winners never quit, and quitters never win. So, why is it so easy for so many people to quit on their goals? The answer is simple: It’s easy. It’s easy to stop, fail, and do nothing. It’s easy being a loser. The harder choice would be to push through…
The true measurement of success and the secret to life is knowing, What You Love vs. What Loves You back. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. It’s never supposed to be a popularity contest. Every bad situation will have something positive. Even a dead clock shows the correct time twice a day….
The only vulnerabilities or insecurities you should have, are those you don’t want to become. This morning, I want you to take a moment, and look inside a mirror. Take a good look at yourself. What do you see? What emotions do you experience? What do you think? How do you feel? When you see…
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…
James Lipton, interviewed, Kevin Spacey in 2001 during his “Inside the Actor’s Studio” talk show. My favorite part is during his final Q&A in which someone asks, about the “lean years” and how they should look at the ultimate prize. Kevin answers it eloquently. “There is no prize ‘out there’. The only prize is this…
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…
Excelling at work is the key recipe for success. You must always strive to be the best you can be. The following may seem obvious, but understanding these ideas can help you go far in your career. Don’t ever treat your job as just a job; always think of it as a career. Embrace it….
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…
Every bad situation will have something positive. Even a dead clock shows the right time twice a day. Action is purposeless without the right intention. Although actions are important in order to reach success, they are pointless without the proper perspective and mindset to fuel them. In order to achieve greatness, you must be able…
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…
Are you a driver or a passenger? If you want to be an entrepreneur there’s only one answer to this question. You have to be a driver. You can’t expect to be a passenger and get anywhere. You have to be the one with his hands firmly on the wheel steering your business in the…
On your path, wherever that may lead you, you will encounter skeptics. Doubters can be brutal. You have two options with them, you can either ignore them, or you can embrace them. Choose to embrace them. Why embrace the voice of your critics? They may infuriate you. They may irritate you to the point where…
Here’s a shining example of Why Defeat is just a Detour in our Journey. Consider the life of someone who refused to quit—in spite of setback after setback during a life of struggle: ■ When he was seven years old, his family had to give up their farm and move to a neighboring state. Like…
I’ve always believed in making a difference. I’ve always believed in shooting for the stars. During my 16-year entrepreneurial journey, I’ve been blessed with success that I never even imagined was possible. Entrepreneurial success was my first ambitious goal. And I’ve accomplished that against all odds, despite skeptics and even in my darkest moments. But,…
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?…
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…
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…
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…
If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it. Teach yourself to be impatient. This has been one of the biggest themes of the way I’ve lived my life. I’m not a patient person. I don’t view patience as a virtue. I like to talk about the virtue of impatience. When I get an idea…
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…
If you ask any entrepreneur, what defines success? Some might say their product, their vision, or a cool feature they’ve developed. But, that’s actually wrong. What makes success is simpler, it’s people. It’s the DNA you inspire, you create, that magnifies into something greater than you ever imagined. It’s infectious as it can cross boundaries…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…