INSTANT MBA: Your Enthusiasm Is What Makes You A Good Leader

Today's advice comes from Tim Westergren, Chief Strategy Office at Pandora, via LinkedIn:

"Pitching investors in the beginning is easy. You have an unabashed enthusiasm that comes from the overwhelming sense of possibility and the rush of invention. No doubt, just potential. Then, unless you're very lucky, your velocity slows as your idea collides with market realities. The ascent steepens, and you lost sight of the summit. This is when you are really tested as a leader."

Though the struggle in finding capital to launch his fledgling business took its toll on his bank account, Westergren says that the most difficult part of being a young entrepreneur was being self-conscious. He didn't want to burden his friends and family when times were tough, so he internalized the failure until a piece of advice changed his outlook.

"Your currency is your enthusiasm and self-belief; It's what attracts investors and people to your cause, and it's the wellspring that keeps your own spirits high as you climb a daily wall of worry. If you lose that resoluteness, your will follows closely behind and you get overwhelmed by all the external pressure and the doubt that comes with it."

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