Jim Armstrong of Clearstone Venture Partners encourages new entrepreneurs to jump in and create value by starting new Companies, via a series of crisp video interviews for TheRodinhoods!!
In this video Jim explains that starting a new Company is a process. He strongly feels if you have an idea, you should go for it! Surround yourself with good advisors. In the end, for some reason even if the venture fails – you, as an entrepreneur, would’ve gained so much more, for engaging in the process.
Click on the wrapper below for the youtube link to the video:
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal
Check out the advise Jim gave me:
9. Here’s cheering you, Mr. Entrepreneur!
Circa –September 2010.
Place – The large conference room of Clearstone Venture Partners in their 4thstreet office in Santa Monica, California.
People present – Sumant Mandal (g2w board member and MD of Clearstone), Jim Armstrong (Joint MD of Clearstone), Bill Elkus (Founder of Clearstone) and me.
Situation– Presentation of the games2win business to the management of Clearstone.
I had drawn a large circle on the whiteboard – representing our business of g2w. Within the circle I started carving out areas (think pie charts) that defined the business lines of the Company. The carve-outs showed online games, portals, social games & virtual worlds. It quickly looked pretty crowded. Yet I had a marker in my hand to fill in new sections representing our forthcoming iStore games and Android games.
As my marker approached the circle once again, I was nervous. This was the classic ‘doing too many things’ syndrome. My marker touched the white board and just as another line began to appear, Jim Armstrong hollered at me in a rather stern voice and said, “Alok! Don’t tell me you have more offerings to explain to us?” I calmly said, “Yes Jim, we have these new lines rolling out as we speak and…” Before I could complete my sentence, Jim suddenly sat upright, broke into a big smile and exclaimed loudly, “That’s audacious Alok – and we love you for your audacity!!”
Lesson learnt – When you get the right partners, they encourage you for being yourself. In my case, for being a bold, brash entrepreneur.
Games2win couldn’t have been where it is today without Clearstone.
(g2w raised a follow on Series A investment from Clearstone in March 2011 and I earnestly hope that I can make them all proud when we exit.)
From – The 9 best conversations I have had in my life – https://www.therodinhoods.com/forum/topics/the-9-best-conversations-i-have-had-in-my-life-and-the-lessons-i-
Holly Self
Yeah! So happy these videos are here. They are such great lessons for budding and seasoned entrepreneurs!
Jim’s encouragement for new entrepreneurs is the best – “Come on in, the water’s fine.”