Entrepreneur: Michael Bronner
Businesses founded: Digitas, Upromise, UNREAL

Michael Bronner started off selling ad space in coupon books as a sophomore in college. Today, he has launched two mega-successful businesses and is in the early stages of building his third. How did he do it? “Everything I did, I did the absolute best I could. I gave it my all.” 

Bronner shared the following tips on being a successful entrepreneur with Beaver students taking the school’s inaugural entrepreneurship class:

• Passion is key:  You don’t have to have the ‘Big Idea’ (to get started) — you just need to have an idea you’re passionate about … If you have an idea and passion, people can feel it, and somebody, somewhere will help you.
• Don’t be afraid: You have to be fearless and have a gut instinct. Say, ‘This is what I’m going to do’ and then just do it. You will be tested but if you really want it, you will go after it.
• Relish criticism:  You have to love critical feedback to be a successful entrepreneur.
• Ask for help: The most important thing is surround yourself with good people.
• Embrace your age: I can’t stress enough the advantage of youth and passion.
• Just do it: Anything is possible. You can always have reasons why you can’t do something. But ignore that. And do it.

More in our guide for young entrepreneurs:

Michael Bronner | Hedy Jarras | David Fialkow | Jeremy Levine | Nassib Chamoun | Mike Hirshland | George Bell | Rick Webb