Elliott Bisnow
Brett Leve
Described as “a mutual aid society for young entrepreneurs,” Summit Series brings together young entrepreneurs, innovators, and influencers with the aim of effecting positive social change. Its young and inspiring founders, Elliott Bisnow and Brett Leve, ages twenty-four and twenty-five, answer the questions of the also young and inspiring TNGG staff.
How does someone so young start a company? Was it education, experience, a certain need, or something else that pushed you in this direction?
Elliott: I think it’s a lot of luck. It’s also trying over and over again and realizing that eventually you’ll create a spark. Eventually you’ll find some luck. If you fail at three businesses but catch a lucky break, and your fourth is a smash hit, then you’re a rock star. I started my first business—a T-shirt company—when I was eighteen and a freshman in college. It failed miserably. My second business also failed. When I finally caught a lucky break at twenty-one, I’d been pouring my heart into starting a business for three years.
Tell us more about Summit Series. How did Summit Series start?
Elliott: Summit Series began in 2008 when I was twenty-two years old. I’d left college early to chase my entrepreneurial dreams. I thought the best way to learn would be by meeting other young company founders. Summit Series began with a few cold calls and a ski trip with nineteen young entrepreneurs. Today, we are about to host our ninth summit, which will be in Washington, DC, and will have five hundred attendees.
What are the objectives and the ambitions of the project? What do you hope to achieve with it?
Elliott: Summit Series is all about progress. We hope to bring together many of the most influential young entrepreneurs from around the globe. Once together, it’s all about building better businesses, pushing philanthropic initiatives forward, creating friendships and inspiring each other.
Summit Series is a great example of the power of networking. Do you think millennials are masters of networking and collaboration?
Brett: Certainly, but it’s not just about networking. It’s the genuine desire to collaborate and help others that is propelling our generation forward. It’s a core belief that a rising tide really does lift all ships. We find fulfillment not only in improving our own lives, but also the lives of those around us.
According to a recent study, Generation Y entrepreneurs are 25 percent more optimistic than business owners overall. Do you think this is true and why?
Brett: Millennials had the benefit of growing up during a prosperous time. There was no great war and the closest thing we had to real systemic problems were the Y2K scare and the tech crash of 2000. As a result, we view prosperity as the default state. I think this core belief that prosperity is always possible will ultimately be the driving force behind our recovery.
How do you explain the recent boom of successful Gen Y entrepreneurs? What are the key characteristics that make Gen Y successful entrepreneurs?
Brett: The recent boom of Gen Y entrepreneurs can be attributed to connectivity and communication. A decade ago there might have only been a few resources for aspiring entrepreneurs to get information about starting a company. There were major publications like Inc. and Forbes, but there weren’t any outlets covering stories about successful young entrepreneurs. Today, there are dozens of publications and blogs that are focused on startups, which give aspiring entrepreneurs a window into how successful ventures are built from the ground up. Suddenly, there’s a road map and a plethora of resources for something that once was a mystery. Couple that with corporate layoffs and the stodgy culture that permeates America’s office buildings, and it’s no wonder that a lot of millennials have taken the plunge.
As a millennial, you have probably been labeled as entitled, lazy, idealistic, and so on. How do you respond to these labels and which one is the most offensive?
Brett: Entitled maybe, but not lazy. I think there is a level of self-awareness that can be developed through this type of feedback. You should never be offended, never develop a habit of interpreting things negatively, and never be self-conscious. Always look at other people’s criticism—constructive or otherwise—as a way to improve yourself.
What advice would you give to millennials who are job hunting or unhappy with their current jobs?
Brett: Leverage the power of your online network and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Figure out what you are passionate about and go after it. For example, our most recent hire was a casual acquaintance with whom I hadn’t spoken for over three years. Out of the blue he sent me a Facebook message asking to set up a call. He said that he loved my company and that he wanted to find a way to be helpful. We interviewed him a week later and now he’s a full time employee.
What advice would you give to companies that employ millennials? Is there a way to manage Gen Y?
Brett: Empowerment is critical. You need to give millennials an opportunity to use the skills they have developed. Most workplace dissatisfaction is a result of feeling stifled. Since the beginning of time human beings have passed down information from elder to younger generations, but now that we live in a world where information is ubiquitous, and not solely learned through life experience, the workplace needs to catch up. Older generations have a lot to learn from millennials. This might be tough for an employer to stomach, but a recent college graduate might know a lot more about Internet marketing than their boss, for example.
How do you define success?
Brett: Waking up in the morning with a smile on your face. Money is a powerful resource, but its only one type of currency. If all you focus on is your paycheck, you might end up with a million bucks in the bank and a hole in your heart.
If you google yourself in ten years, what do you hope to see?
Brett: Hopefully, Summit Series will have made a measurable impact on the world by that point and I would be honored to be recognized because of it.
Your last words to TNGG?
Brett: Stop procrastinating! Go make your dreams come true.
