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Everyone loves a success story, but entrepreneurs are quick to remind you nothing comes easy.
A sold-out crowd of 125 people attended the first VenturePitch Founder Talk in Naples on Aug. 13. Angelo Biasi, the founder of MassiveU, spoke to a receptive audience about how he built the Naples-based education-technology company and raised more than $1 million from investors.
“There's no book or video that teaches you,” Biasi says. “We're living proof it can happen.”
Biasi shared some of his insights into starting MassiveU, which included by pitching his own family on the idea in the beginning. “We share a certain kind of madness,” he acknowledges. “We're obsessed with winning. We will not stop for anything.”
Biasi reminded the audience that investors are looking for two things: “They want to see customers and revenues.”
Entrepreneurs need to practice patience, too. That's because Biasi says his business has taken three years to take off. “We still have to be careful about how we manage our capital,” he says.
Biasi says building the business has demanded sacrifices in time away from his family and other pursuits. “We really feel the pain,” he says. But he adds: “I've never been so happy and challenged in my life.”
Still, Biasi advises entrepreneurs need to find time to exercise and reenergize with creative activities to avoid burnout. For example, Biasi wakes up at 4:30 a.m. each day but he hits the gym at 6 a.m. to stay in shape for the long workday ahead. In addition to cycling, he enjoys playing the guitar and piano. “You've got to take care of yourself,” he says.
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