New year, new mentor! Meet Our Mentors is a series dedicated to shining a well-deserved spotlight on one of our Endeavor Mentors. This month, we’re speaking with Andrew Goldner, Endeavor Mentor, founding partner of GrowthX, venture capitalist, Kauffman Fellow, and Endeavor Scale Up Mentor!
As we head into the 2020 Scale Up program, we’re excited to continue our partnership with Andrew as he returns for another year of Scale Up mentorship! Learn more about his career and life below!
Areas of Expertise
Venture capital, entrepreneurialism, market development, narrative development, content marketing, and negotiations
On Why He Mentors Through Endeavor Louisville
Mentoring with Endeavor is in direct alignment with the values of GrowthX and my personal philosophy that entrepreneurialism can spread prosperity to more and diverse people.
On His Proudest Moment in Business
One of my proudest moments was winning a Journalist of the Year Award from Reuters during my tenure as Publisher. It was an extraordinary honor to be counted among the finest journalists in the world, many of whom regularly put their lives on the line.
On the Inspiration Behind GrowthX
GrowthX was inspired by an observation made by my co-founders and I: Silicon Valley labels Founders into two distinct groups based on their skill sets. That is, if you know how to build products and start a company, you are often labeled a Founder, but if you know how to sell products and start a company, you are called a Non-Technical Founder – and it’s often communicated with pejorative intent. That ran contrary to our belief that nothing happens until you sell something. Or, as I like to say, “it ain’t dog food until I see a dog eating it.”
The bedrock of our entire venture platform is our expertise and proprietary framework for helping founders find the truth about whether their product fits in a market and to accelerate their path towards profitable growth.
On His 6 Years in Asia
It was an extraordinary adventure during which I gained enormous perspective that led me to challenge much of what I had been raised to believe as an American and to celebrate so much of what I enjoy as an American but take for granted. I’m a better founder, funder, father, and person because of my time overseas. And it was also a huge amount of fun – especially as an adventurous foodie.
On His Biggest Challenge in Business
During my time in Asia, my responsibilities included launching and managing businesses across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. I was regularly challenged with business cultures and behaviors that were very different from how I was raised and professionally trained. Remaining humble and consistently reminding myself that my way is not synonymous with the right way was a goal of mine that I regularly fell short of. I was (and continue to be) fortunate to be surrounded by people with more experience and perspective who invested their wisdom in me.
On His Advice for New Entrepreneurs
Headline your story with happiness, not wealth or prestige. Act always with a mindset of abundance and not scarcity; doing so helps you perceive everything along your journey as an opportunity rather than as a challenge. Be transparent, seek out healthy, sustainable relationships over transactions, and remain true to your core values and first principles.
On What He Looks for in a Company to Support
We look for Learn-it-Alls (very different from Know-it-Alls).
On What Makes Up a Successful Company
Sustainable profitability.
Fun Fact You Can’t Find in a Google Search
I once made a citizen’s arrest.
—
Learn more about our Endeavor Mentors here & remember to sign up for the Endeavor Newsletter to stay up to date with your local Endeavor Entrepreneurs!
