Hussam
"Sam" Hamadeh
Leslie Esdaile Banks
Jeffrey Sterling
Douglas
Chu
TEACHING & LEARNING
Custom
Builder Has Designs on Future
Powers of Concentration: Wharton's Undergraduate Entrepreneurs
OUTREACH
Between
a Rocket and a Hard Place
Faces of Wharton Entrepreneurship
RESEARCH
The Vanishing $7 Billion:
An Options Approach to Corporate R&D
Personal
Information
Jeffrey Sterling,
Entrepreneur-at-Large, IXA
Company Description: IXA
is a reincarnation of a company I sold during the Internet bubble that
focuses on broadband connectivity issues. The company's primary objective
is to work with local communities and government to create next generation
fiberoptic networks that solve the last mile (first mile) bottleneck dilemma.
Education:
BS
Economics/Wharton/Entrepreneurial Management/1978
MS Engineering/University of Washington/Complex systems engineering/1990
Primary place of residence: Seattle,
WA
It would surprise people(or not) that I….:
graduated from Wharton and moved to Jackson Hole, WY where I lived in
a camper surrounded by hay bails for the winter and became extremely proficient
at telemark skiing.
P.O.V. (Point of View)
I became an entrepreneur because…: I became an entrepreneur because I'm an independent soul that needs to be in charge of my own destiny.
Best way to respond to criticism and doubters: Drive on...
Best definition of a successful entrepreneur: A successful entrepreneur is in it for more than getting rich quick. A successful entrepreneur is taking a passion and turning into their destiny.
Most challenging part of your job: Balancing my passion for work with my passion for my wife and six kids.
Biggest impact of the Wharton School: Getting me to realize that I'm not going to get through life simply on charm and good looks.
Best memory of your Wharton days. Hanging out on Locust walk on a spring afternoon.
Close calls
How you started your business: I've started four businesses that are worth talking about. In each case it's taken two or three people that share a common vision and are willing to endure the pain (financial and emotional) to get it off the ground.
Pivotal moment in growing your business: Usually there comes a time pretty early on in the life of a company when you need to bluff. For example, committing to a project for which you've got no direct experience, but you've at least have to act like you can do the job anyway.
Most interesting non-entrepreneurial job offer you've declined: None.
Biggest surprise you encountered growing your business: My experience is that the optimal number of employees including founders is between 15 and 20. If you get beyond that number you're more of a manager and less an entrepreneur. Of course, there is probably another optimal plateau where day-to-day operations is delegated, but not many entrepreneurs get there without losing control of their company which is not a desirable objective to many entrepreneurs such as myself.
Most difficult decision you're glad you made: Selling the previous incarnation of IXA to SAVVIS Communications in 1998 was probably the most difficult decision that I'm glad I made.
Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur
Favorite Web site: www.Google.com
Book that most influenced your thinking: In Search of Excellence, Tom Peters
Favorite activity outside of business: Playing with my kids.
Goal still pursuing: Make money… have fun…change the world.
Person most influential to your success: My dad
Person you most admire: My dad
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