My Hero Growing Up: Michael Dell

When I was in high school I read a biography about the Michael Dell and by the end I knew that he was the guy I wanted to emulate: my hero. His dad was an orthodontist, like mine, and he grew up working on computers from an early age like I did. He started his company with $1,000 in his dorm room when he was 19 — I took inspiration from him and started mine in my dorm room when I was 20. Of course, he’s been a bit more successful than I have been :-).

Dell is best known for establishing the made-to-order PC market, which was revolutionary when he did it. In addition, his company has been innovative in other areas like having negative working capital where the suppliers are required to have warehouses within a certain distance of the factory and supply product as needed in advance of being paid. These innovations and more, along with timing, helped make Michael Dell so successful. I think it is important to have heroes and people you really respect.

Who’s your entrepreneurial hero? Why?