Lessons I've Learned – Pat Sullivan

Pat Sullivan, founder and former CEO of ACT! and SalesLogix, one of the “80 most influential people in marketing history,” by Sales and Marketing Management magazine, two-time winner of the Ernst & Young “ Entrepreneur of the Year” award and CEO of Contatta, lit up the room with personal stories about growing his businesses and advice for local entrepreneurs at AZ Tech Beat’s lunch and learn series Free Lunch Friday.
Pat’s theme of “Lesson’s I’ve Learned” kicked off with a slide that simply said “deeply curious”-a reminder for everyone to continue to learn, be curious about life and continue to meet people to learn about what others are doing out in the world. “Those who are deeply curious are successful.” As an avid reader he suggested for all to “Read old stuff and new stuff,” to build your knowledge base.
Pat revealed some of his secrets to business and creating the best products, “People are becoming less tolerant for bad products — good is never good enough. [You need to] make it beautiful. Make it great.” And to ask yourself, “…where’s the hole in the market? Find that one thing and do it incredibly well.” Among other great advice.
Pat shifted to the whole person and the personal side of entrepreneurship-having built multiple companies, his advice was to “Be good to yourself, to your health, family, and marriage,” as well as your employees, “Be good to your employees. Treat them like owners and they’ll be easier to talk with.”
Turning to the Arizona economy, he has a clear goal, “I’m on a vendetta right now about Arizona. I want Arizona to thrive!” Part of that goal comes in the form of his next project Contatta-which is still in stealth mode. @Contatta
Read more about Pat Sullivan here.
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Be curious and watch the complete lecture below…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZV2MHezuQ8[/youtube]