In honor of Father's Day, I am sharing 10 things I learned from my dad! I think this is one of the easiest posts for me to write–there is so much he has taught me, more by example than by words.
1. Failure is what happens when you quit before you succeed
2. Your reputation is everything
3. People get what they deserve–you don't need to get revenge yourself
4. It's better to be lucky than smart (and don't confuse the two!)
5. Family is the most important thing
6. Drinks should be cold, food should be hot
7. Focus on the big idea, but sometimes, be ready to get into the details!
8. Treat everyone with respect
9. Tell the truth, always, especially in business
10. Approach everything with beginner's mind (an approach my dad used well before he became a Bikram yoga practioner). Admitting how much you don't know allows you to learn more.
For those of you who don't know my dad, Joel Kellman, last month, he retired for the second time. 10 years ago, he retired from Fenwick & West, the law firm he co-founded when I was four years old. He and my mom moved out to CA from NYC, never having been here before, starting a business and signing up for a major mortgage with 2 small kids and no local support system. Today the firm has about 300 attorneys. After 30+ years of lawyering, he "retired" to co-found a venture capital firm . He started over in a cubicle after many years of a corner office, with partners younger than his daughters, and had a ball. Now, he and my mom are starting a new adventure–with no clear path in front of them. Maybe travel. Maybe non-profit boards. Maybe poker. My dad and I share many traits: analytical nature, appreciation for delicious food, love of word games, and curly hair, just to name a few.
What I learned from my dad are valuable entrepreneurial traits, as well as important traits of a good human being..and hopefuly inspiring for you as they are for me.
Happy Father's Day to my dad, and to all the great dads out there!
