Elon Musk paper 1

Rosa  Zavaleta  Vega   B  AD  2110     Paper  1   Elon  Musk  by  Ashlee  Vance  

"If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it." - Elon Musk. Entrepreneurship it’s a word difficult to explain, because people have different ways to interpret it, or at least to carry it out. Elon Musk is an important and recognized entrepreneur who has achieved the success of their companies through their particular way of seeing things and his perseverance. For me, entrepreneurship is making the decision to start something new (innovating); it’s about following your ideals, to have the courage to do something, but taking on count the environment in which they will develop and the possibilities to have success. As I said before, people have different ways to undertake, that’s because they have different interests and purposes. Elon Musk has a different interest of many entrepreneurs, I think that's one of the keys that led him to success and have allowed him to innovate and remain at a good level. The principal purpose for Elon Musk, his basic driving force, it’s not the money; I mean, he obviously likes to make money, and he knows that he can do it in many ways, but what he really wants is to do things that leave an impact. For Musk is important to know that his innovations will favor somehow the planet, that what he is devoting his time will serve in the future for something productive. And I think that it makes sense, he is very smart, because one of the main reasons for the failure of many entrepreneurs is that, little by little, their innovation is no longer useful or interesting. A basic driving force, for me, has to be something that really excites us because in that way we will commit us and hardly we will want to give up. I am studying Marketing, and nowadays marketing has a bad reputation because people believe that we lie to them to buy our product and I know, that in some cases, it is true. But it doesn't mean that marketing has to be always in that way. That's why I want to spend my time doing something for people to change their perception of Marketing and to realize that it can be done in an ethical manner, without having to fool people. So, my basic driving force, related with my major, is to do Marketing in an ethical way.   And after reading Elon Musk, I started to think deeper about doing something that makes an impact, something to leave a better world to my next generations; So I realized that through Marketing can be promoted different changes and supports different causes to improve the world situation. If I can

Rosa  Zavaleta  Vega   B  AD  2110     Paper  1   Elon  Musk  by  Ashlee  Vance   combine these two things (ethics and improve the world situation) in my company, I will have achieved my purpose. Musk is a natural entrepreneur, since he was little he began to develop certain characteristics and skills that have helped him to excel. I am impressed by the way Elon lived his childhood, the interest he showed in learning and how he managed it to get it, is incredible. To most people, when we are children, we do not care nothing but play, eat and sleep, and I'm not saying that this is wrong, on the contrary, I think it's a very nice stage and, as I mentioned several times we all have different interests, even when we are young. What I find interesting is how Elon didn't let himself to be influenced by what society dictated that "had to be" but continued doing what he was passionate about. I also believe that another lesson Musk leaves us of his childhood is the fact rely on ourselves, well they say that the mind of a child is like a blank sheet and could create unimaginable things, yet we often do not we give importance. He now works in what he imagined as a child. Confidence, it is the main feature of Elon Musk that I would like to have. Entrepreneurship involves many risks and there is no guarantee of success, but I think that the first important key to do it is to rely on us, because in that way we will support our idea and transmit confidence to others to also support it. The second feature I'd like to have it is to focus on my goal, knowing that situations that can distract and divert me from what really matters to me can also be presented. Elon Musk has to face many of these situations, even in businesses that promised big profits, but he learned to stay focused on his main goal. This leads me to the following feature: patience, it takes a lot of this to not despair, because it can take a long time to achieve our purpose. And perseverance, of course, to continue supporting our project and not to give up at the first failure. Although these features are quite important and decisive, the fact that we manage to acquire them doesn't mean that everything will work well, as I said before, nothing guarantees success. So, another feature I admire about Elon Musk is his capacity to recognize his mistakes and learn from them; the self-critical will make us more productive and will help us to improve.

Rosa  Zavaleta  Vega   B  AD  2110     Paper  1   Elon  Musk  by  Ashlee  Vance   See things more deeply, as well as Musk does it, not just settle for the first impression or with what others tell about it, but always think of What more can be done to improve? What can I do to be better? That will lead me down the path I should take. Elon Musk, the money not being his main driver, is not afraid of risks, because he has determination about what he wants. This joint the above characteristics and, for an entrepreneur, fear can be paralyzing and become your worst enemy. So, take the example of Musk, get rid of complexes and let things flow will be my purpose. Reading about Elon Musk business, and analyzing the way in which he found an idea to innovate, I realized that he did not wait for it to present a business opportunity, and it's something that as a student of Marketing I thought it had to do; I was wrong. I mean, for me, starting a business was to analyze the market and look for something that "people will buy" or "people will need" regardless of the area in which it is developed; that is, it seeks an opportunity for an existing business. Elon first thought about the area in which he wanted to develop (Eg. The space.) And then, he thought of something that it needed to make an impact in the world (his driving force); that is, the business opportunity is created. As well as I would take those characteristics of Elon Musk, there are some that do not suit my interests, and that, consequently, I would not like to have. Perhaps in the future I will change my mind. Workaholism; personally, I do not think it's healthy to spend so many hours working, I know there will be times when necessary, but I think it is always good to have a balance between work life and personal life, without neglecting your loved ones. I really think that family gives you the most of the force and support that you need to reach your dreams, so, if you stay away from them you won't have the courage to continue fighting. Another thing I believe is that Elon becomes, at some point, something neglected. Not in a serious way, but focuses both on their stuff, that can get to put aside other things, leading to new risks and possible failures. Definitely I would not like to be neglected at all. Actually, these are just the two things that I find in Musk, they are not bad, but they just not suited to my interests.

Rosa  Zavaleta  Vega   B  AD  2110     Paper  1   Elon  Musk  by  Ashlee  Vance  

Elon Musk is the proof that you can be a successful entrepreneur and stick with personal values. For example, he was very interested in video games, had developed experience and good ideas that would have enabled him to have a good business, however, he knew that, if he decided to do that, he would simply be like other entrepreneurs and would fail to meet what he really wanted. He decided to stay true to his values. So, that is another reason why we have to have purpose certainly defined. The process of become an successful entrepreneur and hold onto one’s personal values maybe is more complicated, because there are a lot of chances that business, that are not related with your values, come and show up. And money… money is really big temptation that can make us fall. And in that point I have to mention to our families and our education, they are the key here; they are the key here; the power to do it depends on how well founded are our values, the way we were raised. Now, he shows us, through its three achievements, that this is possible: Tesla Motors (electric cars to reduce pollution), SpaceX (aerospace transport with a level of technology that favor research) and SolarCity (energy systems solar). Each of his companies fulfills its purpose, with his driving force. Just think about it, he can do it in three different ways, so there is no doubt that it is possible. With this, I realize that I need to pay attention to details. The opportunities are everywhere; I just need to spend some of my time trying to find a connection between my ideal and what I know to do. Take the decision to be an entrepreneur doesn't have to be only in order to make your business successful and make money, I think from now on, at least for me, success lies in getting that, in what I choose to undertake, really excites me. Elon Musk is an entrepreneur that teaches us the importance of fight for your dreams, as difficult it seems and that even failures can be a platform for success (PayPal case). Maybe this sounds a little threshed, but it is the truth. Supporting your idea, for most absurd that it seems, if you really believe in it you have to fight to make it real.