Being successful in business relies on resilience, passion and good ideas. What else makes a good entrepreneur? Does being a successful CEO require a solid business background? Where is that coveted stairway to success and is it really quite so straightforward? These are just a few of the questions answered by Pat Grady and Matt Miller, experts in discovering top-notch business ideas as partners in Sequoia.

The best businesses are, for the most part, people who experienced the problem, hated the problem, didn't understand why the problem hadn't been solved before, and just made it their mission to go out and change it. - Pat Grady

Takeaways

First, Pat and Matt talked about Sequoia and explained Donald Valentine's unique approach and outlook towards business development and venture capital. They then also talked about their own backgrounds and the work they do within Sequoia. Pat and Matt also discussed some of their favorite projects they've been involved in it and their thoughts regarding the future of technology and what this might mean for the big category kings in business. We also touched on the correlation between the growth of the business and the speed of innovation - using the "Big Five" as an example. Finally, we spoke about the importance and resilience of microservices and how they benefit companies big and small.

We also discussed;

Authenticity is a key selling point for any business - it's not just about shoving your product in the faces of customers, it's making your product into an efficient magnet and then customers will want to be near it. You shouldn't allow yourself the luxury of whiplash as technology develops at amazing speeds but rather you should move along to keep up with it the best you can. That will only make innovation easier. Remember that there's no real, straightforward recipe for business success.