Neil Patel – Photo used with permission

Many people have “start a business” on their bucket lists, and in general, stories of entrepreneurship are very inspiring because there’s determination, hard work, and dream fulfillment involved. For this interview, I chose Neil Patel, a serial “entrepreneur, investor, advisor and blogger” (quote from his Twitter profile). I wanted to feature him because he has an inspiring life story (recommended reading for more motivation for achieving your dreams).

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Name and website:
Neil Patel (neilpatel.com)

Fun fact about you:
I love running… so much that I run at a mile a day.

Funner fact:
I enjoy ironing clothes. It actually relieves my stress and calms me down… no clue why…

Funnest fact:
I enjoy making a fool of myself. I rarely ever get embarrassed…

What do you think has been essential to your success as an entrepreneur?
I execute fast. No matter what I am doing, I move extremely quickly while taking data into account. When things don’t go the way I want, I make adjustments and keep pushing forward.

What was something that surprised you about entrepreneurship?
When I first started out, I really enjoyed starting companies. I thought it was extremely fun and easy to do… but I always struggled with growing each of my businesses. As time went on, I found that growth is actually a lot easier than starting a company and I eventually got good at it. I never thought that starting out and getting the initial traction would be the hardest part about entrepreneurship.

Who or what inspires you?
Elon Musk. When he believes in something, nothing can stop him. He has big dreams, but unlike most people, he is making his dreams come true.

What is your all-time favorite bucket list item (of yours or someone else’s)?
Run a marathon in every state.

If you had to describe your blog in 6 words or less, what would you say?
Blog about content marketing.

If you weren’t doing anything related to your businesses, what would you be doing in your free time?
Watching TV or spending time with my family.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Learn from other people’s mistakes. If you can avoid making mistakes as an entrepreneur you’ll drastically increase your chance to succeed.

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Thank you Neil for taking the time to reply and share your advice with us. If you want to learn more about Neil, please read his story (on his blog), check out his website, and follow him on Twitter.

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