Building Something Great, Lessons Learned From GROWCO 2015 in Nashville, TN

“Entrepreneurs aren’t ordinary people,” said Eric Schurenberg, President and Editor in Chief of Inc. Magazine, to a crowd of expectant entrepreneurs hoping to unlock the door to the kingdom of entrepreneurial success.

Coined “America’s hardest-working event for serious business owners,” GROWCO 2015, an Inc. event, brought out some of the most innovative minds in business who all pledged to share exactly how they kicked conventional thinking aside and dared to dream bigger.

From Daymond John, FUBU founder and star of ABC’s Shark Tank, to Jessica Alba, actress and co-founder of The Honest Company, Bre Pettis, co-founder of MakerBot and Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, these and many other disruptors in their industries stood before us, victorious. Not just because their companies are now valued at $10 billion dollars or have sold for close to $500 million. It’s deeper than that. They are victorious because they didn’t settle for average when exceptional was only an idea away.

And while it is impossible to list all the lessons taught at this year’s GROWCO conference, of the presenters I witnessed, I have these insights to share:

Have A Growth Mindset

When others see limits, successful entrepreneurs see possibilities. For Joe Gebbia of Airbnb, what started as a completely insane way to pay the rent during the downturn of 2008, morphed into an incubator for a home sharing concept that has grown into a $10 billion business, spreading across over 190 countries.

If you think it was easy, you’d be wrong. Joe’s attempts failed at least twice before it took root. But for those with a growth mindset, it’s in those moments – when failure seems imminent –that, according to David Chang, Chef and owner of Momofuku, you “make some of your best decisions.” And his decisions have led to restaurants in New York City, Sydney, and Toronto, as well as a best-selling cookbook.

So challenge yourself to do more than what’s expected. You’re not superhuman, but as an entrepreneur, you have to give a superhuman effort to grow your business.

Look On The Fringes

Think back to your high school prom. While everyone else was on the dance floor, there were a few folks along the periphery trying hard to pretend that being alone was OK. But if they were honest, they’d tell you that they’d love for someone to ask them to dance.

In today’s crowded marketplace, your opportunity lies right there, on the fringes of the room. As Bre Pettis, co-founder of MakerBot expressed, “That’s where you’ll find the opportunities to innovate. So be curious. ”

The fringe is where you’ll find underserved consumers waiting on someone to ask them what they want, to meet a need that nobody else has thought of. That’s the sweet spot of innovation.

So “pursue the struggle [to innovate],” as David Chang encourages. It won’t be easy, but find the courage to ask them to dance.

Talk To Your Early Adopters

“Observe your customers in their actual environment,” says Joe Gebbia of Airbnb. In the early stages of his business, he and his partners were advised to go out and meet the homeowners listing their space on Airbnb; to see them in their actual environment. With each visit, they learned the challenges present within the platform and took recommendations on how to improve.

Joe and his team listened, and most importantly, they acted – quickly. The end result was increased revenues, a more stable model, and a viable foundation on which to build the peer to peer service giant that Airbnb is today.

An Experience Worth Repeating

Set against the backdrop of one of the most robust entrepreneurial communities in the country, the city of Nashville welcomed #GROWCO15 with all that makes her special. She opened her doors to the Country Music Hall of Fame and welcomed to its stage some of the brightest in business.

During breaks and intermissions, the melodic sounds of acoustic guitars, fiddles, and the cajon consumed the Theater, as Warner Music artists like The Railers and Ryan Kinder reminded locals and nonlocals alike of just where they were – the heartland of country music.

And the inspiration. It was palpable, producing a common theme that radiated from all who shared their stories, not only from the stage, but through #ViaStories, a UPS Store initiative, told by entrepreneurs like you and me.

And that theme was this – have passion for what you do. A passion that burns so white hot that to stand in your presence would singe the fibers on my clothes. Because it is that passion that will fortify you when it’s your turn to fail.