Network: Ben Casnocha > It’s, like, Ben’s Blog > Michael Simmons
Google: Michael Simmons + Entrepreneur
So far I’ve profiled two friends – an accomplished software company CEO and a VC from Cupertino. Today, I am profiling someone much younger. In fact, Michael Simmons (blog) is just finishing up NYU. But he is a name you don’t want to forget.
I first met Michael this past summer when I was in New York City. He found out about me through my blog. Michael had just finished giving a speech to some youth on entrepreneurship when he came outside and we met and chatted in a park near NYU. Within the first 5 minutes I realized I really liked Michael and what he was doing – he was kind, determined, and not the least bit self-centered despite all the speaking and writing he has done. (He published a book, available on Amazon, called The Student Success Manifesto.)
Michael has started Extreme Entrepreneurship: An Education Corporation as the follow up to his book. They’re all about empowering young people to start companies, come up with ideas, obtain support and mentoring from older people, and the like. His focus is about nuturing the entrepreneurial lifestyle. That’s really cool and something I’ll blog about later. Their three guiding principles are:
“Be the change you want to see…” – Gandhi Empowerment is a young adult’s ability to make the best decisions to available in each moment regardless of background, environment, or other external factors.
“All education is self-education.” – Isaac Asimov
Parents, mentors, friends, administrators are all crucial to development, but most important and core is each young adult’s ability to empower him or herself.We are all naturally visionary and productive. For us to not to be, something must have gone wrong. The best way for young adults to rediscover their innate curiosity and passion is by empowering themselves to LEAP.
If you peruse Michael’s blog you’ll find it rich in deep insights that touch on not just entrepreneurship but the total life picture with stuff on philosophy, religion, spirituality, fear, and the like. His post 3 Life Transforming Vuja Daze Strategies is good, and I also reccomend Our Deepest Fear.
Michael is a leader of today and will be a leader of tomorrow because he so well versed in various disciplines of social thought. I believe that succesful entrepreneurs and people are those who are interesting. And you’re only interesting if you know at least a little about a lot of different things. Michael is a good example of someone anchored in entrepreneurship but a deep thinker in other areas.