Walt Disney said, "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality." Marco Carvalho would like to share this lesson with a fellow entrepreneur and innovator.

As Marco travelled the world, he discovered the need to reach out to others and extend a hand. Be it mentoring, networking, sharing of information and expertise, innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum.

Small Town Entrepreneur with Big Dreams

At thirteen, he teamed with a friend's father to bring internet to his hometown in Brazil. Arriving in Shanghai as a late teen, he confronted the complete aloneness of his situation. A mentor would have made the way smoother. Although the road was difficult going it alone, Marco acquired a gamut of international business development and trade experience.

Mentoring that Made the Difference

Marco's dream is in the realm of interactive children's toys. Endeavor is a non-profit organization that promotes entrepreneurs worldwide. Through the support of Endeavor, Marco developed a solid network of mentors and supporters. Now based in California, he continues to expand his vision in interactive entertainment through his company, Immersive Play.

[shareable cite="Marco Carvalho"]When you're an entrepreneur, everybody will tell you that you're crazy.[/shareable]

Making the Right Connections

Technology barriers in product development led Marco to connect with Chirp. This U.K. based company uses sound to encode and transmit data. The U.S. network Marco gained through Endeavor allowed him to further Chirp's exposure in the U.S. He now oversees Chirp's business development efforts in the Americas. This is a symbiotic relationship. Marco uses Chirp technology in his Immersive Play products.

Keep the Dream Going

Marco states: "When you're an entrepreneur, everybody will tell you that you're crazy." This didn't deter him. It generated excitement.

Marco's advice for entrepreneurs is two-fold:

1. Mentoring is essential.

• His experience in China highlighted this need
• Endeavor showed him the immense benefit of mentoring
• He mentors and is mentored regularly

2. Innovation takes time. Don't rush it, test it…

• Do your MVPs (Minimal Viable Products)
• Take time to work out the issues
• Don't release a product until your customer base is ready for it

Marco and I had the honor of hearing Eric Ries speak at a CES event. Eric provides an excellent gauge for keeping innovation on track.

• Check out his books The Startup Way and The Lean Startup.
• Eric's advice benefits the entrepreneur getting started, the big corporation, and every innovation driven organization in between.

To check out what Chirp has to offer, visit https://www.chirp.io/

Immersive Play can be found at https://www.immplay.com/

Marco welcomes you to connect with him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcoimmplay).

Seeking an innovation mentor or a community to share what you've learned as an entrepreneur? Join The Innovators Network.