We live in a world of paradox. On the one hand, technological breakthroughs, global connectivity, and abundant capital have made it easier than ever to start a business. On the other hand, the odds of success remain dauntingly low. The start-up failure rate hovers around 90%. That’s not just a statistic, it’s a profound waste of talent, energy, and opportunity.
As a former Fortune 50 executive turned entrepreneur and mentor, I’ve seen both sides of the coin. I know how powerful business can be as a force for good & prosperity. I also know how easy it is for young founders to stumble when they lack access to the right knowledge, guidance, and community.
Why Education Matters More Than Ever
Too many entrepreneurs start with raw passion but without a roadmap to navigate complexity. They reinvent the wheel, make avoidable mistakes, and burn through precious resources. What if we could change that?
Educating the next generation of founders is not just about helping individuals succeed. It’s about multiplying the number of thriving businesses that create jobs, drive innovation, and build resilient economies. Every additional company that survives and scales is a ripple of prosperity.
When young people see peers building successful ventures, it strengthens the belief that the system can work for them, that opportunity is not reserved for the few but accessible to the many. That belief matters, especially in a time when cynicism is rising, and narratives about “deep states” or “rigged systems” gain traction. Entrepreneurship, when democratized, can become the antidote to despair.
From Scarcity to Abundance of Knowledge
The internet promised knowledge abundance, but much of what’s out there is fragmented, contradictory, or overly theoretical. Founders don’t need another dense textbook. They need practical, digestible wisdom they can apply tomorrow.
That’s why we wrote The Start-Up Puzzle, to package decades of real-world lessons, both successes and failures, into a simple, actionable framework. Our mission is to create “snackable” wisdom tailored to the younger generation: insights that are easy to grasp, hard to forget, and powerful in practice.
A Call to Action for Leaders
If we truly want to drive economic growth and prosperity, we must invest in both the infrastructure and the education of entrepreneurs. Not just in elite universities or privileged incubators, but broadly across geographies, socio-economic classes, and cultures.
- Mentors must step forward to share their scars as well as their trophies.
- Executives must open doors for the next generation.
- Governments and institutions must see entrepreneurship education as infrastructure, as vital as roads or energy.
The return on this investment is not abstract. It’s more thriving companies, more good jobs, and stronger communities.
Rebuilding Belief Through Entrepreneurship
At its best, entrepreneurship is a story of possibility. It says: You can take an idea, build it into reality, and create value for yourself and others. That story counters the dangerous narrative that systems only serve elites. It shows that with the right frameworks, persistence, and courage, success is not only possible, it’s repeatable.
If we can move the success rate of start-ups even modestly, for instance, from 10% to 20%, the impact would be massive and transformative. Millions more jobs, billions more in economic value, and perhaps most importantly, renewed belief in the systems that underpin our societies.
I want to be part of this movement to help the next generation be better equipped to succeed. This is not just about business. It’s about hope. It’s about proving that the puzzle of prosperity can indeed be solved, piece by piece.