Last week Jermaine Dupri and Cory Levy came to speak at Georgia Tech about their entrepreneurial experiences. As usual, Startup House had a strong presence at the talk and the two gentlemen were very insightful, but the biggest thing I took from the talk was from a member of the audience. This man didn’t physically stand out in any particular fashion. I didn’t even notice that he was in the crowd, until he started speaking. One of my fellow students asked Jermaine Dupri if the music industry was dying. After Jermaine responded, this man, Scooter Braun [pictured in green jacket], spoke up.
From the moment he opened his mouth he commanded attention. The way in which he spoke was captivating. His intonation, his cadence, his confidence drew you in deeper. It was as if I had no choice but to listen intently. He spoke of the revolution that was happening in music and media. He spoke of how the old business model was quickly decaying and the industry had to adapt to the new technologies and mediums of music consumption in order to survive. His knowledge of the industry, his creativity, and his vision for the future of the music business was inspiring. I have never been interested in the music industry, but at this moment I was captivated. I felt like I would follow this guy, this stranger, anywhere. Then it dawned on me, this man was a leader. His passion, his vision, it all clicked. I have experienced this captivation a few times before. It always occurs when someone is speaking about something that they are truly and genuinely passionate about. This passion attracts people. It is infectious.
I am extremely passionate about cars and what we are doing at FIXD, but recently I have been letting the daily grind of school and FIXD distract me from the grander vision. If I have any hope of becoming a leader, I need to have this passion clearly present in each decision that I make, each interaction that I have, and each action that I take. Everything must be aligned with this passion. I need to be able to rise above this busyness and prioritizes what really matters. Let’s see how well I can do over the next month.
[Photo Credit: Tucker/Hypepotamus]
