Lessons in Grit, Innovation, and Growth: Teaching Tech Ventures at Harvard

This week we wraped up the semester of my Harvard course, ES-134: Tech Ventures, From Idea to Exit. This was my fourth year teaching at Harvard and I’ve been reflecting on why I’m so passionate about teaching entrepreneurship. The answer is simple: the world needs more builders—people who innovate, solve problems, and create meaningful change. I am confident that some of my students will go on to build incredible things which will make the world a better place, and that makes me very happy.

To my students: Thank you for your energy, curiosity, and ambition. I hope you leave this course feeling empowered to tackle the challenges ahead. The road won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. The world is waiting for what you’ll build.

As our incredible lineup of 20+ guest speakers emphasized, the struggle is the fun part. A heartfelt thank you to our guests who generously shared their insights and stories—you’ve inspired the next generation of builders.

This course focused on the core elements of entrepreneurship, such as finding product-market fit, structuring your startup, and raising capital. But beyond strategies and tactics, we uncovered a deeper truth— people matter most. Building strong teams, cultivating meaningful networks, and mastering communication are the real superpowers of successful founders. You can find recaps to all of my lectures here.

Lessons from Jason Robins: The DraftKings Story

For our final class of the year, we focused on entrepreneurial career paths and featured guest speakers who shared their stories. Jason Robins , Co-founder and CEO of DraftKings Inc. discussed his path from college to marketing analytics at Capital One and then VistaPrint, to co-founding DraftKings with $25,000 pooled with his co-founders. His story emphasized the importance of resilience in startups, of team-building, and of bringing unique skillsets together to create the winning formula for a new company.

Key takeaways from Jason’s talk included:

• Start Small, Think Big: From founding DraftKings in his co-founder's house, the early, lean days taught him the value of resourcefulness and focus.
• Diverse Teams Perform Better: He emphasized the importance of assembling diverse teams to avoid blind spots and improve decision-making.
• Embrace Tough Times: Jason’s journey wasn’t without challenges and dark days, but he stressed that resilience and the ability to weather adversity often separate successful entrepreneurs from the rest.

Insights from Our Final Panel

We also heard from a stellar panel of speakers — my 75 & Sunny partner Wilson Chockley, Sofia Guerra from Bessemer Venture Partners, Jennifer Keiser Neundorfer from January Ventures, and Brent Willess of Founder Collective — who shared their perspectives on career paths.

• Door-Opening Decisions: Choose opportunities that broaden your network and skill set. The panel discussed the benefits of starting one's career at a large company, whether in tech or consulting or investment banking so as to expand one's network.
• Think Long-Term: Focus on learning potential when making your early career path decisions over immediate rewards such as cash compensation (if possible).
• Self-Discovery Matters: Pay attention to what you enjoy doing and where others see your strengths.

A Framework for Success

Entrepreneurship is a challenging and often opaque career path, especially for those just starting out. Unlike traditional fields like law, finance, or consulting, there’s no clear roadmap. Throughout the semester, we’ve developed a framework to help aspiring entrepreneurs approach their careers:

1. Build Relationships: Networks and connections are invaluable. They open doors, provide mentorship, and create opportunities.
2. Practice Patience: Gaining experience before jumping into entrepreneurship often leads to better outcomes.
3. Find Your Own Path: There’s no single route to success. Embrace what works for you instead of comparing yourself to others.
4. Do the Homework: Market research, customer discovery, and feedback loops are critical to validating ideas.
5. Face Crises with Grit: Challenges are inevitable. Success often depends on personal willpower and adaptability.

Reflecting on the Journey

Between my 108 office hour meetings with students and the 130 held by guest speakers, I saw firsthand the passion and ambition of this incredible group of Harvard students. To all the aspiring entrepreneurs out there: your journey may be hard, but it’s worth it. Keep learning, growing, and creating. The future depends on it.