60. How to Build Something: Seth Levine, author of ‘The New Builders’, [reads] ‘Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital’

I’m an accidental entrepreneur. I started Box of Crayons about twenty years ago because I had just been fired from the job I had, and I was slowly coming to realise that I was largely unemployable - not because I didn’t have some skills, but because I wasn’t good with bosses and hierarchy. I’m also a barely-adequate entrepreneur. Both companies I’ve started have had some success, and just keeping a company going for twenty years is commendable. But I’m not going to be making an appearance on Shark Tank or Dragon’s Den anytime soon. The truth of it is that I don’t think I’m an entrepreneur at all. It’s too loaded and fancy a word, and sort of implies that I’m trying to create a billion-dollar business. Maybe I’m just confused - what is an entrepreneur, anyway? 

Seth Levine is a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, right at the heart of being and thinking about entrepreneurship. I think you’ll find Seth to be a little different from your typical Silicon Valley tech guru. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ 

Seth reads two pages from ‘Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital’ by Carlota Perez. [reading begins at 16:08]

Hear us discuss: 

“There are lots of people who have great business ideas, but don’t have the capital to start their businesses.” [25:00] | What makes a new founder? [26:00] | Finding the balance between purpose and profit. [28:52] | Misconceptions of entrepreneurship. [33:31] | Being a good ally: “A lot of people in power don’t think about their ability to affect other people by extending their network.” [36:33]