When?
Entrepreneur|March 2020
When do you launch? / When do you act? / When do you change? It just might be the most important question an entrepreneur ever answers.
By Jim McKelvey / Cofounder of Square
When?

I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR, but I am also a glassblower— AND EVERY GLASSBLOWER HAS A MENTOR.

In fact, we all have the same one: Lino Tagliapietra. Glassblowing is the only profession I know where everyone agrees on who the best practitioner is. Nobody knows who the best accountant or mortician or loan shark is, but the world’s best glassblower is Lino.

Everyone learns from the Maestro, usually by meeting someone who has met someone who has taken one of Lino’s classes. Maestro’s classes are legendary, right down to an admission process that would impress the Harvard registrar. There was even an essay question, and a collection of T-shirts for sale to salve the pain of rejection. It took me 15 years to earn a place, but I was finally admitted.

Lino’s class lasted two weeks, and during that time, each student was allowed to ask Maestro one question. Everyone obsessed over his or her question, and as a result, most questions followed the same format: A student would ask Lino how to do something impossible with glass. We would then sit in rapture as Maestro demonstrated how to do it. But when the day came for my question, none of the other students even paid attention to Lino’s answer, for my question was so basic that they already knew it. Or so they thought.

I asked the best glassblower in the world how to put a simple foot on a bowl.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2020-Ausgabe von Entrepreneur.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2020-Ausgabe von Entrepreneur.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS ENTREPRENEURAlle anzeigen
How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers
Entrepreneur US

How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers

People often say that younger employees are different. But are they? We asked six business leaders what they've learned, and how their teams thrive.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November - December 2024
There's No Perfect Answer
Entrepreneur US

There's No Perfect Answer

I worked the same job for 19 years. I hated it, but it paid the bills. Then, in 2017, I entertained an exciting but terrifying question: Could I be an entrepreneur? I wasn't sure, so I needed something that felt like a guarantee. I searched for signs that would feel like a big, clear \"yes!\" Instead, what I found was a tarot card deck.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
10 HOTTEST TRENDS for 2025
Entrepreneur US

10 HOTTEST TRENDS for 2025

Want to buy a brand that buzzes? Here's what to know.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
BUILD YOUR MONEY MACHINE
Entrepreneur US

BUILD YOUR MONEY MACHINE

A franchise isn't just a franchise. It should be a Money Machine, creating profit even while you're out of the office. Here's how.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
November - December 2024
The Top Franchises for Veterans
Entrepreneur US

The Top Franchises for Veterans

Are you a military vet looking to become a franchisee, or just want to support a brand that supports the troops? Check out these 150 brands.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
20 LEADERS WHO ARE DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TODAY
Entrepreneur US

20 LEADERS WHO ARE DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TODAY

In a year of disruption, we wanted to know: Whose work will define the years to come? We reviewed hundreds of names and picked 20 leaders across a range of industries and sizes. Meet them on the following pages, and see what it takes to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
November - December 2024
How to Become a Main Street Millionaire
Entrepreneur US

How to Become a Main Street Millionaire

It started when I bought one little laundromat. Now I have a whole portfolio of small local businesses that bring in tens of millions in revenue a year. Here's why following my playbook could be your ticket to financial freedom-and saving America's local small businesses.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November - December 2024
Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.
Entrepreneur US

Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.

As a designer for brands, starting my own product company gave me a dose of humilityand it changed the way I relate to clients.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November - December 2024
I've Been a Publicist for 17 Years.Don't Hire Me.
Entrepreneur US

I've Been a Publicist for 17 Years.Don't Hire Me.

Entrepreneurs often think they need PR. Most don't. Here's why you're probably better off not hiring someone like me.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November - December 2024
The CEO's Advice to the MVP
Entrepreneur US

The CEO's Advice to the MVP

Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor knows the formula for a successful launch. NBA champ Jaylen Brown recently launched a shoe and athleisure brand. They have a lot to teach each other.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
November - December 2024