Author and businessman Ray Zinn knows what makes an entrepreneur successful.

And his principles are every bit as applicable to makers and one-person startups, as to larger companies.

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Ray is unique, in both his success and his experience.  In 1978, he founded his independent semiconductor company, Micrel, in Silicon Valley.   Failure was not an option–for reasons he explains in his new book, Tough Things First: Leadership Lessons from Silicon Valley’s Longest-Serving CEO.

He would serve as Micrel’s CEO until his retirement in 2015: a total of thirty-seven years.

Today, Ray offers guidance to fellow entrepreneurs, both through his book and with his newest venture, Mentor Capital.

After the Sensors 2016 conference, Ray talked about his experiences, some of the leadership lessons he covers in his book and his new company, which mentors startups.

On this edition of Over Coffee® you’ll hear:

• How Ray’s growing-up years prepared him to succeed in Silicon Valley;

• The unforgettable lesson his father taught him, during his college years;

• A key success technique for small-business entrepreneurs;

• The routine Ray used, to make his days at Micrel go smoothly;

• A technique for learning from mistakes;

• What entrepreneurs need to know about “frugality” versus “cheapness” in daily operations;

• How a “business culture” applies to smaller entrepreneurs;

• The difference between creating a business that lasts, versus one that’s “flashy”;

•  A business’s most important area on which to focus  (and it isn’t making money!)

• How Ray developed an essential entrepreneurial skill;

• What he’s currently doing with his exciting new venture, in which he mentors entrepreneurs  (Hint: this is based on his book!)