The final edition of Entrepreneurs Unplugged in 2009 saw Tin Enwall, founder, President and COO of Tendril, interviewed by Brad Feld. Enwall described Boulder-based Tendril, which raised a $30 million round of financing in June, as “the residential side of the smart grid.” Before founding Tendril, Enwall’s career had taken him from Apple to a variety of startups to founding his own company focused on electronic commerce. Enwall shared several of his beliefs about entrepreneurship throughout the evening.
- ”Building a business is about the most complex system you can imagine.” – Enwall was schooled as an engineer and through this training had become fascinated by complex systems, a passion which led him to the startup scene.
- ”An entrepreneur without a big idea is an oxymoron” – While Enwall acknowledged that all entrepreneurs lack something – be it technical skill or marketing savvy, he believes passion and a ides are essential elements in any entrepreneurial endeavor.
- “Your first gig has to be almost 100% customer financed” – Enwall commented that he would not have pursued an idea like Tendril that requires substantial capital had he not had successes under his belt. A first time entrepreneur faces a even higher hurdle when attempting to attract capital.
- “Be attached to the outcome…and unattached to [your] ego” – Enwell actually fired himself as CEO of Tendril to bring in current CEO Adrian Tuck. Enwall made this move because he felt Tuck brought complimentary skills that would ultimately make the company more likely to succeed.
The Entrepreneurs Unplugged series will resume on January 25. Visit Silicon Flatirons for more details as they become available.
