I did in fact take a couple of classes at my local college here in NYC. But I did it unwillingly and without enthusiasm. That is until a protest broke out in the streets around campus against rising tuition costs. Lewis Schiff More Quotes by Lewis Schiff More Quotes From Lewis Schiff But, to the extent that I cannot solve MY problem with the same thinking I used when I created it, you're right. We need the fresh air that comes from others to see things in other ways. Lewis Schiff air needs thinking One of the things all entrepreneurs struggle with is where their efforts will have the highest impact. Unfortunately, too many of us continue to do the very same things that led to our initial success because we're good at it and we've created and invested in systems to support them Lewis Schiff impact support struggle That doesn't mean we should be doing it, though. We should always be carving back those things that are comfortable and institutionalized but not necessarily impactful. Lewis Schiff carving should mean I think small groups have more collective wisdom than an individual. Lewis Schiff individual groups thinking CEOs are no different than the guy in the mailroom. They all have to learn how to manage better the risk created by our increasingly risk-shifting world. Lewis Schiff risk guy different However, I believe that large groups make markets, so serving the needs of large groups is a simple approach to success in business success. But that's no reflection on whether or not they're making wise moves or good calls. It's just about filling the need. Lewis Schiff wise believe moving The problem is not the sentiment, it's the execution. When a company makes a mistake, the individual benefits because they've learned how NOT to do something while the institution had to pay for the mistake. Lewis Schiff benefits mistake pay It's the "Success Paradox." When a set of behaviors has gotten you somewhere, you keep doing them even though the circumstances have changed. Lewis Schiff paradox behavior circumstances I know a lot of great success stories of those who were excellent problem-solvers because they had found a need that they could fill well. As a result, they built organizations around them and those organizations had belief systems that could be described as a form of leadership. Lewis Schiff organization stories needs Thinking like others is ok for things that are not important to you. Lewis Schiff important thinking I would have to say that my mother's entrepreneurial perspective, and that of her father's, are very evident in my own outlook. Lewis Schiff perspective mother father I got to carve through the streets of New York's financial district and discover the awesome feeling of being part of a system where, the harder you worked, the more of those scarce resources you earned! I never looked back. Lewis Schiff financial new-york feelings In the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, my grandfather got me a job at a local messenger company working on Wall Street. I was lucky enough to have been in the business during a stock market boom but just before the fax machine appeared on the scene, let alone email and the Internet. As a result, the messenger business was booming. Lewis Schiff wall summer jobs By the time I entered this prestigious high school, my interest in formal education had already been exhausted. Lewis Schiff exhausted formal school I was never going to be one of Nobel prize winners. Lewis Schiff prize winner nobel Harkening back to a story about my grandfather, I was lucky to attend a great high school in New York, Bronx High School of Science, which has produced more Nobel prize winners than any other high school in America. Lewis Schiff new-york america school I've always wanted to get my share but, due to my tendency to overcompensate (work harder, push for the win more), I've ended up with more than my fair share. These are some of the life lessons I've drawn from watching my mother and grandfather struggle in the world compared to my own struggles. Lewis Schiff life-lesson struggle mother My fighting spirit has often seemed out of place. Lewis Schiff fighting-spirit fighting spirit I grew up in a modern business environment and did not experience the kind of prejudice that my mother and grandfather experienced. Lewis Schiff prejudice grandfather mother During that time, I began writing and designing the propaganda that we distributed to the students who we were trying to convince to join us. Lewis Schiff design writing trying
