283 Week 13

$100 Entrepreneurial Challenge Update:

This week we are reporting our final projects to our peers and preparing to write a paper about the things we have learned. This paper will be turned in next week.   I have enjoyed this assignment and especially find it fun to put the presentation together and look forward to seeing what my peers have done. 

Acton Hero Summary: Tom Nall

“We can’t be afraid to fail.”  These are the opening words of Tom Nall’s biography. Tom Nall is the co-founder of organic tequila, Republic Tequila.  

Tom’s jobs growing up were what prepared him for his work as an adult.  He held a paper route, and eventually began selling insurance, which he credits with developing his selling skills.  Because he was competing with bigger companies, the job required him to really push himself creatively. 

Speaking of his own nature, he says, “I am optimistically scared to death.”  He says he has to be a risk taker, and believe in himself.  Those risks need to be calculated, and then the optimism needs to be profound, “almost to a fault”. 

Nall jokes that he retired…for a weekend.  He then started the tequila business and learned a lot from the young people he was able to employ.  In regard to his employees, he looks for those with some experience but prefers those who will look outside the box and who are not afraid to work hard and to do somethings a little different.

Nall wanted to build a company with core values; honesty, integrity, and he wants his people to treat others according to the golden rule. Most important, is that he wants people to want to do better, not just in the workplace, but in their own lives. He expects his employees to buy into this vision and culture.