Founders Remind Me, Iron Sharpens Iron
Three reasons I choose to work with entrepreneurs
As a son of a preacher (and full-time computer programmer) and an 8th-grade science teacher, it is no surprise why I enjoy working with startup founders. My parents instilled in me the importance of giving back and collaborating with others. Whether it was volunteering as a high school student in Little Rock’s charity events or deciding to attend the business school that literally started the team-based case work approach, I have a first-hand experience with the personal benefits and growth opportunities from working with others.
This way of living was so aligned with my personal and professional goals that when I applied to business schools in the fall of 2010, I consistently wrote that “I have a passion for equipping others with the skills to achieve their dreams.” I originally thought this meant that I would either scale my edtech startup to national and internal markets but now I see that this motivation drove me to my career decisions post business school.
It first manifested into small internships at early stage investment firms like RSF Social Finance and Central Square Ventures during my last year at Kellogg. Recently it has matured into roles as a startup advisor at Camelback Ventures and an investor in residence at Backstage Capital. I’ve really enjoyed sharing my own anecdotes as a former founder and exploring various growth issues for first-time and seasoned entrepreneurs. I’ve come away with three reasons — that are similar to the reasons I use to mentor youth — why I love working with founders.
I Learn
Before I meet with a startup founder, I attempt to prepare for the conversation based on my knowledge of the startup’s market and current stage. Sometimes times I offer advice and potential connections to address the sales, marketing, or technical needs of the founder. But many times after I have shared an anecdote from my time as an entrepreneur, the founder responses back with a perspective that displays so much genius and expertise to their industry. This allows me to continually iterate on my various investment views and gives me a better perspective on what is happening in the early stage startup ecosystem.
I am Inspired
There are times when I meet with founders and something maybe going wrong with a due diligence project or I may have some difficulty with an accelerator client. Whatever the issue is in my professional life, it is generally wiped away after speaking to passionate and brilliant startup founders. It’s so inspiring to interact on a day to day basis with individuals who have risked everything to create something from nothing. After conversations with entrepreneurs, I often leave thinking “why should I put any limits on myself” or “how can I work around this problem I’m currently facing?” As a college freshman, the proverb “iron sharpens iron” always resonated with me as I faced new challenges academically and professionally. I think one reason I love advising and helping startup founders is because I always leave the conversation a little bit sharper and more energized.
I strengthen my Network
I was something of a social butterfly as a teen and always enjoyed meeting great people that I could learn and be inspired by. This continued in college and I developed the motivation to always give as much as my network gave to me. So as I meet more and more talented entrepreneurs, I try my best to connect them to the various industry leaders, function experts, and potential clients that would move their startup forward. I enjoy connecting individuals within my network that are able to develop mutually beneficial business relationships. The better my network does, the better I feel. It goes back to my original motivation for applying to business school. No, I’m not equipping others with the skills to succeed through an edtech product or in a social enterprise capacity but I do have the opportunity to play a small part in helping founders change the world — and I’m honored to do so.
Earnest Sweat is an Entrepreneurial Engineer for Camelback Ventures and an Investor in Residence for Backstage Capital. If you have any questions or requests please connect with Earnest through LinkedIn or Twitter.
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