Founders who run their own businesses often turn to famous entrepreneurs for inspiration to persevere through challenging moments and to remember that setbacks often present the most significant opportunities for growth and change, both for themselves and their businesses.
Take our quiz to see how well you know these 10 quotes from famous entrepreneurs!
1. “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”
a. Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon
b. Richard Branson, Founder of The Virgin Group
c. Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
d. Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft
2. “To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.”
a) Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
b) Bill Gates, Businessman, Philanthropist, and Co-Founder of the Microsoft Corporation
c) Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
d) Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx
3. “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise. At some point, you are bound to stumble. If you’re constantly pushing yourself higher and higher, the law of averages predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do, I want you to remember this: There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.”
a) Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Meta Platforms
b) Indra Nooyi, Former CEO of PepsiCo
c) Michelle Obama, Former First Lady and Author
d) Oprah Winfrey, American Television Personality, Actress, and Entrepreneur
4. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
a) Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.
b) Larry Page, Co-Founder of Google
c) Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
d) Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
5. “I don’t like to lose — at anything — yet, I’ve grown the most not from victories, but setbacks.”
a) Naomi Osaka, Professional Tennis Player and Investor
b) Serena Williams, Tennis Icon and Founder of Serena Ventures
c) Michael Jordan, Basketball Legend and Businessman
d) Venus Williams, Tennis Champion and Entrepreneur
6. “The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.”
a) Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx
b) Rachael Ray, Television Personality and Entrepreneur
c) Debbi Fields, Founder of Mrs. Fields Bakeries
d) Barbara Corcoran, Real Estate Mogul and Shark Tank Investor
7. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
a) Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor Company
b) Sam Walton, Founder of Walmart
c) Walt Disney, Founder of the Walt Disney Company
d) Thomas Edison, Inventor and Entrepreneur
8. “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.”
a) Coco Chanel, Founder of Chanel
b) Estée Lauder, Co-Founder of The Estée Lauder Companies
c) Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
d) Tory Burch, Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur
9. “We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes - understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
a) Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder of The Huffington Post, and Founder and CEO of Thrive Global
b) Barbara Corcoran, Real Estate Mogul and Shark Tank Investor
c) Sophia Amoruso, Founder of Nasty Gal and Girlboss
d) Jessica Alba, Founder of The Honest Company
10. “How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.”
a) Tony Hsieh, Former CEO of Zappos
b) Blake Mycoskie, Founder of TOMS Shoes
c) Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia, Inc.
d) Howard Schultz, Former CEO of Starbucks
Answer Key
Check out our Answer Key for the correct answers and scoring.
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