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" If you don't plan to dive in and dedicate all of your time to your startup, you probably shouldn't be looking for funding. It's hard enough asking for money when you believe in an idea; asking for money to fund something you're iffy about is ten times more strenuous. "

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" We've built a company that distributes a pair of eyeglasses to someone in need for every pair sold; that purchases carbon offsets; and that hosts mentoring programs at the office. "

Neil Blumenthal

Company

Someone

Pair

" All companies - and not just startups - face the same eternal challenge: resource allocation. "

" Building a consistent experience and firm identity was instrumental in our ability to swiftly build our online presence, open four stores as well as a mobile store in a converted yellow school bus, and launch six shops-in-shops. "

" Regardless of what you plan to use it for, the goal should always be to raise money right before you need it. You don't want to get into a situation where you need cash and you're unable to raise it - or you're unable to raise it on favorable terms. As with any negotiation, you want to raise from a position of strength. "

" Within an office, it's important to create opportunities for anonymous feedback. "

" For many startups, ideating is the fun part: coming up with ingenious schemes to grab eyeballs and start conversations. But before you dive into that stage, take a step back and define your goals. "

" The word 'hackathon' was born out of 'marathon' for a reason. It's exhausting. "

" If you're entitled, you likely think you know more than you do. "

Neil Blumenthal

Than

Think

" I came to Washington primarily to meet other entrepreneurs. That being said, I was also curious to hear how our federal government was thinking about entrepreneurship. "

" Asking for money can be especially intimidating. "

" The basic idea of a hackathon is to erase all routine obligations for the day so that employees can clear a mental space for creativity. "

" A good collaboration pushes the boundaries of both partners. "

" Nothing creates cool like scarcity. "

Neil Blumenthal

Cool

Scarcity

" I want to go at least 11 hours without food. I sat next to Hugh Jackman at a conference, and he told me he fasted 12 to 14 hours when he was training for the Wolverine movies. I've deluded myself into thinking I can effortlessly achieve the same body type as Hugh Jackman if I keep up this eating schedule. "

Neil Blumenthal

Training

Thinking

" Every generation trash-talks younger generations. Baby boomers labeled Generation X a group of tattooed slackers and materialists; Generation Xers have branded millennials as iPhone-addicted brats. "

" The trick to maximizing your team's productivity is to create a workspace that's flexible, so it can be altered according to the ever-changing needs of the company and its team members. "

" We all have a personal recipe for productivity. One person may need six cups of autonomy and just a pinch of collaboration. Another person may require heaps of sociability and noise, with just a teaspoon of occasional privacy. "

" We have been very focused on eyeglasses in particular because it's a massive industry. "

" Avoid the 'squeaky wheel gets the grease' habit of overreacting to the loudest feedback. The first time you hear a particular piece of feedback, treat it like a clue and do some investigating. Find out how deep it goes - maybe it stops at the surface and won't be an issue, maybe not. "

" I wanted to open up a stand to sell dried fruit and beef jerky where we lived in Greenwich Village. I was 8 years old. I had been flipping through TV channels and got mesmerized by this infomercial for a food dehydrator. "

" We have never met with politicians. I don't know the first thing about how to get heard. My suspicion is that it's to donate a lot of money. "

" I'm not as smart as I think I am. "

Neil Blumenthal

Smart

I Think

" For any collaboration to work, each partner must have a strong sense of identity. If one overpowers the other, it's like mixing lemonade with water - you wind up diluting the brew. "

" It's impossible to predict crises - or to control them once they hit - but you can absolutely prime yourself to ride them out as best as possible. "

" Florence Nightingale. She is one of the most dynamic social entrepreneurs in history. "

" We've built our own technology platform in-house, which operates our website and powers our retail stores. "

" It's never easy asking for help. "

" Creativity is a business imperative. "

" Share your personality with interviewers, but keep a professional filter safely adhered to it. "

" If faced with two competitive candidates, every company will hire the person who evinces more enthusiasm. "