How A Kid Who Sold Snails Grew Up To Be A Successful Entrepreneur, Then Angel Investor – with Boris Wertz
on Feb 23, 2010 - 3:51 PM PSTBefore I tell you about Boris Wertz’s successful startup and how he’s investing in other startups, I want to point you to a spot in the interview that starts around minute 18. That’s when he talks about how he always wanted to be an entrepreneur and even launched small businesses as a kid — like the one where he sold snails.
Watch that spot and you’ll see why Boris started JustBooks, the German used books market place. Later in the interview, when he talks about the hard times, you’ll also understand why he didn’t throw in the towel and get a safe job. He ended up selling his company to AbeBooks. And when AbeBooks was sold to Amazon the money helped him invest in startups. I asked Boris to tell us how he finds the entrepreneurs that he backs and what he gives them beyond money.
The FULL program
About Boris Wertz
Boris Wertz is the Founder and CEO of W Media Ventures, an angel fund focusing on early-stage Consumer Internet opportunities mainly in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. Before founding W Media Ventures, Boris was the Chief Operating Officer of AbeBooks.com, the world’s largest marketplace for new, used and rare and out-of print books which got sold to Amazon in 2008. Boris joined the company in 2002 after JustBooks, the German company he co-founded in 1999, was acquired by AbeBooks.
You should say hi to him on Twitter.
*Raw* transcript
This is a raw, mechanical transcript. Readers (like you) are editing a better version here.
This program was sponsored by
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[This interview was suggested by ambitious Mixergy supporters Kareem Mayan and Jon Bischke.]
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February 23rd, 2010 at 4:02 pm
The beard looks good
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Then it's a keeper! ;-)
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Only if your lovely lady says so…. thats why I dont have one :(
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Surprised to see a local person being interviewed on Mixergy. I had an interview once with Boris Wertz at AbeBooks but was rejected unfortunately. Looking forward to listening to this.
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
How can they not, beards are gangsta
February 23rd, 2010 at 7:11 pm
I was called a cactus and told quite strongly, remove it. Who am I to argue.
February 24th, 2010 at 1:38 am
Andrew, you did great even though you were sick. You should have taken the day off though…
Boris, thank you for jumping in with a short notice and for sharing a great story. It is a story that needs to be told to a wide audience: success is a long journey. It took 9 years for Boris. So for all of us entrepreneurs who have been slaving away for what seems like a long time, it is motivational.
I also like how Boris doesn't approach businesses with a money motive but from a value creation perspective, and then applies that philosophy to evaluating startup entrepreneurs for his investment decision. I respect him for that.
February 24th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Mindmap of ideas covered to make it easy to review:
http://www.webdesigncompany.net/wp-content/uplo…
PS: I noticed that it was Abe Books instead of A Books so I'll fix that when I'm reviewing and revising it in a week.
February 24th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Thank you for doing these interviews with these folks from Europe , they are most helpful to me in trying to figure out a little more about how other do it here.
And well done on the beard , you should keep it , after it grows a little bit it becomes softer and other people stop comparing you to a cactus … and compare you to a bear :D .
February 27th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Boris has done it – Made his company work …….Hats off!
There is no point arguing with success. Anyone that toils – sticks with the problems and overcomes – Deserves the attention – If you want to follow what Boris says – you know its real – it worked – its not vague – He's done it.
The person tells you a lot – a bit about a company, but mostly you learn about Boris as the person.
And Boris as the person tells you about his history – Result as a viewer I find relevance and I enjoy the journey, but I am not fully blown away.
Jeremy.
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December 22nd, 2010 at 3:33 pm
[...] Ram on February 24, 2010in Marketing,StrategyClick the image below to download my mindmap for the Boris Wertz interview on Mixergy. And be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed to get future mindmaps, marketing tips and more. Boris [...]