Jerry Colonna is the CEO, and co-founder, of Reboot, an executive coaching and leadership development firm dedicated to the notion that better humans make better leaders. For nearly 20 years, he has used the knowledge gained as an investor, an executive, and a board member for more than 100 organizations to help entrepreneurs and others lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Prior to his career as a coach, he was a partner with JPMorgan Partners (JPMP), the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase. Previously, he led New York City-based Flatiron Partners, which he co-founded in 1996 with partner, Fred Wilson. Flatiron became one of the nation’s most successful, early-stage investment programs. His first leadership position, at age 25, was editor-in-chief of Information Week magazine. Jerry lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
When business started difficulties overcame:
“I think that I had to confront difficulties and I am hesitating because they are still there for me. And I will be more specific about that. I grew up with a lot of poverty and the result was that I have a lovely complicated relationship with money which can result in me being excited by and pursuing it for a sense of safety and security. And when I worry the most about my business it’s really a fear of a lack of safety and security that comes up, and that still shows up”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation Book by Parker J. PalmerFavourite Quote:
“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced” wrote the late James Baldwin
Recommended Online Resources:
Tim Ferriss – author of The 4 Hour Workweek
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“be not afraid but if you are afraid let people know”…[Listen for More]
More About Jerry Colonna:
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” Unknown
Other Quotes From the Chat with Jerry Colonna:
- “I studied the rise and fall of companies. I studied the rise and fall of good leadership, of good leaders and I think that that is good preliminary work for understanding before you take a step on the entrepreneur Way”
- “I think good decisions are a combination of understanding, doing the homework (what we were talking about before), analysing and understanding and then learning to trust your instincts”
- “to me success is a function of building a fiscally sound strong container of a business where there is more money at the end of the day than there was at the beginning. But if we only stop there, I don’t think we are successful as leaders. I think to do that and in addition to creating an environment where great people get to grow and do the best work of their lives will that’s what I would consider a successful company and a successful endeavour”
- “Understanding that my presumptions about the business that I may have started the year with will change. Just as new data comes in, just as new facts about the market place that I am in comes in it’s going to change. And so the first way to stay on top of change is to recognise that it is happening all of the time. And then the second way is to stay open until listen and to talk and to get out of the bubble of your own business, talk to your customers, talk to your peers, talk to your competitors, talk to companies that you admire, listen to podcasts, talk to others who have been on the path whether they are coaches or mentors or board members or advisers, talk to everybody and listen, ask questions”
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