It's one of the most important things at the end of the day, being able to say no to an investment.
Henry KravisRead
To understand KKR, I always like to say, don't congratulate us when we buy a company. Any fool can buy a company. Congratulate us when we sell it and when we've done something with it and created real value.
Interpretation
The true measure of success in business is not just acquiring companies but creating lasting value from them.
Henry Kravis emphasizes that the act of purchasing a company is not inherently impressive, as it can be done by anyone. The real achievement lies in the ability to enhance the company's value and sell it successfully, reflecting not just business acumen but the creation of tangible results and impact.
In practice
During a business conference when discussing investment strategies.
It's one of the most important things at the end of the day, being able to say no to an investment.
I want people who will stand up to me. People who are not afraid to say exactly what's on their minds, even though that's probably not what I want to hear. That's what I want.
If I go into years only thinking about medals I'm missing the whole meaning of what I've always been trying to do, which is trying to push myself and push the barriers of what is possible.
The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.
In my view, product/market fit is the most important thing to get right as a startup entrepreneur. There's a variety of ways to do it, but without solving some pain point that the customer gets so excited about they tell their friends, it's really hard in the modern age to get any liftoff.
At a startup, it's hard enough to get a single thing right, much less a whole bunch of things. Especially if the things you are trying to do are not only dissimilar but actively impede each other.
I have always felt that although someone may defeat me, and I strike out in a ball game, the pitcher on the particular day was the best player. But I know when I see him again, I'm going to be ready for his curve ball. Failure is a part of success.
People respect you because they feel you've survived hard times and endured, and although you've become famous, you haven't become phony.
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