Values

As a founder of two businesses at 20, I could not have succeeded without sticking to my core values. They are:

Imagination. I believe that inquisitiveness is necessary to be successful. I often find myself asking questions like, "What if we create niche-product A for niche-need B and create a whole new market?" For example, I developed a business model to bring personal online branding to the college student demographic. It's easy to get caught up in the status quo and forget to ask yourself how things could be better.

Well defined goals. How can we be more effective at what we do? Once a goal is put down on paper and out of my head, I can focus on what needs to be done next rather than worry about remembering the goal later. Well defined goals that are written down make me a thousand times more productive.

Simplicity. Why make things harder than they are? So many products we use everyday are needlessly complex. The folks at companies like 37signals and Apple are making incredible products that should be an inspiration for designers everywhere. They choose to tackle a single specific problem, then solve it with excellence.

Relationships matter. People always come first. Technology and business are nothing without people. If you constantly ask yourself how you can help other people, I guarantee you will find greater success and happiness.