Quotes from Scott Weiss

It's just not possible to be a real partner if you aren't materially participating. I believe even the busiest business owners must drive a carpool, pack a lunch, help with homework, make a breakfast or dinner, and consistently attend school events.

Whatever vocation you decide on, track down the best people in the world at doing it and surround yourself with them.

One of the rookie mistakes first-time entrepreneurs often make is to be too guarded about their idea - in fact, many will actually spend their first $25,000 on patent lawyers without ever fully vetting their product.

Working at a big company sucks - avoid it. Smaller companies are 10 times better for learning.

It's really hard to break through the clutter and get the attention of the top investors, as they typically only look at deals that come in from a warm, credible referral. There's absolutely nothing more credible than getting an endorsement from a well-known subject matter expert who has already put their own money into your company.

As a first-time CEO, I wasn't sure if I would scale to run IronPort long-term. But I wanted a legitimate shot at it.

The thorniest business problems will surface at the board meetings, and the different, sharp opinions help to better explore the poles of the arguments to make better decisions.

I see many founders waste too much time trying to work their networks and/or ultimately settle for mediocre but available candidates. You will definitely have to interview hard for cultural fit, but the best talent isn't cheap.

An approachable and authentic CEO is essential to fostering a high-performance, open communications culture.

I don't like sweating the details, and I'm pretty disorganized. To be a better leader, I need to stay on top of these shortcomings, and being reminded really helps.

When a team has to work over a weekend, make a high priority of being there as well, even if it's just to stop by and buy them a meal to show your appreciation.

The experts typically know where the other best-in-the-world talents are currently working and can help you recruit them in with a credible intro.

Your happiness is at the intersection of your passions and learning from great people.

For me, the brightest years at IronPort were without a doubt the darkest years at home.

Most companies don't have a good mechanism to give the CEO real, honest feedback.

All great pitches have a few things in common: the founder/team is wicked smart, the idea is big and a breakthrough, and the market is potentially enormous.

The best board members aren't elected by default. CEOs that set themselves up with their choice of board member - which means getting more than one term sheet and doing extensive reference checking - are better off.

Feedback for leaders is often nuanced and difficult to deliver. That said, hearing you are passive-aggressive from 10 different people described 10 different ways becomes hard to ignore.

Trust leads to approachability and open communications.

Being on a board is not just about showing up for the meetings. A board member needs to materially contribute to the success of the business.

Be generous with your time and money - it has an amazingly fast payback. Be in the moment with everyone you love - and this frequently means tuning out work completely. And drive slow in parking lots.

When my co-founder and I first had the idea for IronPort, an email security company, we triangulated a list of the 20 most relevant people in email - former CEOs, open source technologists, investors and thought leaders.

The first day, week and month of an employee's experience carries a lasting impression.

I wouldn't suggest that being resourceful has anything to do with doing something illegal or unethical, but I've definitely noticed a pattern of being 'creative.'