This approach to starting and running a business is a great way to get your feet wet and learn as you go. Plus, it's a great way to cement your business skills and grow your business over time.
What is a serial entrepreneur?
Serial entrepreneur meaning: A serial entrepreneur is someone who has started and grown multiple businesses over time. They are constantly learning and growing their skills, which makes them better entrepreneurs.
Many entrepreneurs use technology to save time and streamline processes at the workplace. One such innovative app is the workplace time tracker that automatically produces employee records and schedules.
Main characteristics of serial entrepreneur
Serial entrepreneurs are those who have launched and run more than one startup. This is different from the traditional concept of entrepreneurs, who are typically risk-takers who jump into new opportunities.
- Such entrepreneurs are often more comfortable with a steady stream of revenue, rather than the ups and downs that are common in startup businesses.
- Serial entrepreneurs are also typically more experienced. They have already gone through the process of building a startup from the ground up, and they know what it takes to get it off the ground and running. This experience can be a valuable asset as they enter the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
- Typically more resourceful, serial entrepreneurs have learned how to find and use resources to their advantage. For example, these entrepreneurs use business travel management tools to save time on their business travels.
- They’ve cultivated a network of people who can help them when they need it. This network can be a valuable source of support and advice as serial entrepreneurs continue to launch and run their businesses.
- Serial entrepreneurs are also typically more resilient. They have experienced failure, and they know how to bounce back from it. This resilience is important as serial entrepreneurs continue to launch and run their businesses.
What is the difference between serial and traditional entrepreneurs?
Serial entrepreneurs are those who have launched more than one business in the past. They are typically more experienced and have a better understanding of how to start and run a business.
They also have a more organized approach which makes them more efficient in their businesses.
Traditional entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are those who have launched one business. They may have more experience, but they lack the serial entrepreneur's understanding of how to start and run a business.
They also have a more haphazard approach which can lead to less efficiency in their businesses.
Ten examples of famous serial entrepreneurs
Serial entrepreneurs are a rarity in today’s business world. They are typically defined as entrepreneurs who have founded at least three businesses.
Below are 10 serial entrepreneur examples. These famous serial entrepreneurs have revolutionized their industries and are now household names.
1. Mark Zuckerberg
Zuckerberg is the co-founder and CEO of Facebook, one of the world’s leading social media platforms. Zuckerberg started Facebook with his college roommate, Dustin Moskovitz, in 2004 and the company now has over 2 billion active users.
Heavily involved in philanthropy, Zuckerberg has also founded the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropy organization dedicated to curing diseases.
2. Bill Gates
Gates is the co-founder of Microsoft, one of the world’s largest and most influential technology companies. Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975 and the company now has a market cap of over $2 trillion.
Known for his innovative ideas and business strategies, Gates is also dedicated to philanthropy, with over $28 billion donated to charity, including his investments in charity foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates has also been heavily involved in education, founding the Gates Foundation and The Gates Computer Science Education Institute.
3. Sergey Brin
Brin is the co-founder of Google, one of the world’s most popular online search engines. Google was founded by Brin and Larry Page in 1998 and the company now has a market cap of over $550 billion.
After becoming a serial entrepreneur, Sergey Brin turned Google into a center of technological innovations, such as the Android operating system and Google Glass.
4. Larry Ellison
Ellison is the co-founder of Oracle, one of the world’s largest and most influential technology companies. Ellison and Bob Miner founded Oracle in 1977 and the company now has a market cap of over $250 billion.
Ellison is known for his focus on customer service and his aggressive business strategies as a serial entrepreneur.
5. Larry Page
Larry Page is an American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Google Inc. with Sergey Brin in 1998. He is the CEO of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc.
Page is one of the world's wealthiest people, with a net worth of $53.4 billion as of March 2020. He has been involved in several technological innovations, including the development of the PageRank algorithm that forms the basis of Google's search ranking system.
6. Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai is an Indian-American business executive. He is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Google LLC and its parent company, Alphabet Inc.
Pichai oversaw the development of several of Google's products, including Google Chrome and Chrome OS. He was then named the CEO of Google in 2015.
Under Pichai's leadership, Google has continued to grow and innovate, with new products and services such as Google Assistant, Google Home, and Google Pixel.
7. Travis Kalanick
Co-founder and former CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick resigned from the company in 2017 after a series of scandals. Prior to his resignation, Kalanick was considered one of the most successful tech entrepreneurs in the world.
Kalanick dropped out of UCLA in 1998 to start a software company called Scour, which was a file-sharing service that was eventually shut down by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Kalanick is now a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He has invested in companies like Affirm and CloudKitchens.
8. Sheryl Sandberg
Sandberg is the CEO of Facebook, one of the world’s leading social media platforms. Sandberg started Facebook with her college roommate, Dustin Moskovitz, in 2004 and the company now has over 2 billion active users.
Facebook is known for its innovative social media platform and its efforts to promote user safety and privacy. Sandberg has also been heavily involved in philanthropy, founding the Sandberg Foundation and the Lean In Foundation.
9. Elon Musk
Musk is the CEO of SpaceX, one of the world’s leading space exploration companies. Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 and the company now has a market cap of over $25 billion.
Musk is also the founder of Tesla Motors, one of the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and having a huge impact on the industry (including decisions regarding software migration for EV charging businesses).
10. Jeff Bezos
Bezos is the founder and CEO of Amazon, one of the world’s leading online retailers. Bezos started Amazon in his garage in 1994. He learned how to be a serial entrepreneur, and now the company now has a market cap of over $500 billion.
He also founded the Bezos Family Foundation, which is one of the most important philanthropic organizations in the world.
