Excerpts from a speech by John Bogle of Vanguard:
While entrepreneurship is often thought to involve an idea that requires an incredibly creative leap of the human mind, followed by its implementation through a remarkably clever marketing scheme, never underrate the power of a simple idea with energetic implementation. Indeed, my own career is a monument, not to brilliance, but to simplicity.
Pursue your vision with energy and with persistence. Why? Because energy and persistence conquer all things, as that timeless epigram of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin reminds us.
The true purpose of entrepreneurship is service to our community and our world…As you budding entrepreneurs go home this evening, dreaming your dreams of today, even as you realize that youll likely have new and even bolder dreams tomorrow, I urge you never to stop dreaming and creating. Never underestimate the majesty of simplicity and the beauty of common sense. And never give up. Never, never, never, never, never! All it takes in this world is energy and persistence, although, confession being good for the soul, having a few lucky breaks is likely to do you no irreparable harm.