In this episode, Brett Jurgens talks to Dan Daugherty about being a first-time founder and selling his company, Notion to Comcast in early 2020.

Sample Transcript

Dan Daugherty

Welcome to this episode of The Big Exit. Today I have Brett Jurgens, who sold his company to Comcast early this year in February. Brett, thank you for coming on the show. 

Brett Jurgens

Hey, Dan, what's going on? Thanks for having me. 

Dan Daugherty

So I actually wanted to start out with my own little story of how we met. I was looking at old emails all the way back to 2014 and you and I were communicating and you said, "Hey, I want to show you a prototype of what I've been working on. Can I show it to you?" I said, absolutely. Come on in. And I remember you walked in with, was probably almost the size of a brick, but it was close to it for your your sensors for homes. And if you remember that, I wanted you to start the story there of what you guys were working on. What problems you were trying to solve all the way, you know, six years ago and then how that morphed into what you are today, even pre and post acquisition with Comcast? 

Brett Jurgen

Yeah, I'm happy to. It was it was slightly smaller than a Brick. You're right. So good. Good memory on that one. Um, look. So my co founder, Ryan and I are both from town here in Colorado, Longmont and we grew up together. We've known each other since we were four years old. Onda. We had a really unique relationship.

Snippets

"A lot of the time as a founder and a CEO, it's kind of like a taboo subject to bring up that being an entrepreneur is hard, like you're supposed to put on a smiley face every day." - Brett Jurgens 

""My definition of an entrepreneur is: anybody that can creatively solve problems and just doesn't take no for an answer." - Brett Jurgens

What is the definition of an entrepreneur?

Brett Jurgens: Yeah, my definition of an entrepreneur is anybody that can creatively solve problems and just doesn’t take no for an answer. I tell all of my employees, all the time, that they are entrepreneurs. I think some people take that title and say you have to be a founder, you have to be a CEO to qualify as an entrepreneur. And I think a lot of people like, want to be an entrepreneur. It’s kind of like a badge of honor to some people, I think, and to me, you know, it’s anybody who just has a tenacity and a view of the world that can, you know, things can be different. Things can be better and I can go do that. You don’t have to start a company, in my mind, to be an entrepreneur and to have, you know, that just thing in your gut and that thing in your heart and that thing in your head that all tie together to say, I’m going to go, you know, make a difference and, have the guts and have the tenacity to go do it. So that’s my kind of simple definition.

Dan Daugherty: I love that you can actually use that in all facets of your life. Whether it’s just being a CEO, the founder of your X right, of your division.

Brett Jurgens: Absolutely.

Dan Daugherty: Of whatever you’re doing at home or whatever it might be, just take that initiative. I really like your definition.

Brett Jurgens: Awesome. Well, it’s a good question and I think a lot of people should push harder. A lot of people should create more. And a lot of people aren’t willing to sort of jump into starting a company full time. A lot of people can’t afford to not have a salary for 12 months, like I said earlier in the call. But I also think a lot of people can make it work and you can do it in different ways. And so thinking creatively about how to make it happen is what it’s about.