Lesson #40
How to Put Lightning Back in the Bottle Again and Again—Many Entrepreneurs Are Serial Entrepreneurs
Pick up the paper, turn on the TV, or scan the Internet on any given day, and there's a good chance that you will learn about some superstar who is making a comeback—sometimes for the second or third time. Those who comprise this unique breed could be rock or movie stars, athletes or politicians, and, yes, even corporate entrepreneurs or executive whiz kids who have all but faded into the sunset and in many cases become yesterday's news.
The bigger question is this: Though they may have done it once, can these mere mortals do it again?
There are numerous theories about why former stars who have made their marks on the world would want to risk reputation, money, and self-esteem to grab for that elusive brass ring one more time. Second chances at fame and fortune often require defying Mother Nature and the aging process, which we all know can be dicey. Sports overachievers periodically seize the headlines with their resurrections. In the business world—which does not necessarily require as many physical attributes—the odds of a successful curtain call and standing ovation at the end of the day are somewhat improved over those for a super-jock. That is because mental dexterity is the required ingredient in commerce, rather than just sheer physical skills and endurance—although it does take a certain degree of strength to play in the show.
Company founders and CEOs, or a ...
