Watch the presentation here: http://bit.ly/1Gsn95G To wrap up the Apps Alliance LA App Strategy Workshop, our keynote speaker, Ben Huh of Cheezburger, takes the stage. Ben walks us through the past several years of his life as an entrepreneur, pulling out key factors in his success. Through a candid (and very funny!) presentation, Ben points out the need for entrepreneurs to be realistic about who they are and what they’ve set out to do.

1. B E N H U H
C E O & F O U N D E R
C H E E Z B U R G E R ( @ B E N H U H )

3. M Y M A T R I X M O M E N T. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 0 .
Build Sell

4. – T H E M AT R I X
“You take the blue pill, the story ends.
You wake up in your bed and believe
whatever you want to believe.
You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland,
and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

5. I N T O T H E B E L LY
O F T H E B E A S T
I N T O T H E B E L LY
O F T H E B E A S T

6. W H Y I T O O K T H E R E D P I L L :

7. C H E E Z B U R G E R B E L I E V E S :
Platforms
Your Friends
Expression
Media
Viral
Clickbait
>
>
>

8. What everyone signs up for:

9. E V E RY S TA RT U P M U S T D E L I V E RE V E RY S TA RT U P M U S T D E L I V E R
What you actually do:

10. 3 Y E A R S T O
B U I L D :
A home for
you and your
friends’
sense of humor.

11. W H AT W E L E A R N E D
Clarity
Simplicity
Listening
Ambition
Minimalism
Strategy
>
>
>

12. 2 0 1 3

14. H O W D I D I T G E T S O
F U C K I N G C O M P L I C AT E D ?

16. T H E G R E AT E S T L I E
E V E R T O L D
T O E N T R E P R E N E U R S
T H E G R E AT E S T L I E
E V E R T O L D
T O E N T R E P R E N E U R S

17. 2 0 1 4

18. T H E R E C O V E RY P L A N
• Build a great team
• Get coaching
• Bring back the joy

19. I F I ’ M U N H A P P Y,
H O W C A N I D E L I V E R
O N O U R M I S S I O N ?

20. 1 . L I V E T O L E A R N

21. One day, a Buddhist saint left his cave to gather firewood. When he returned, he
found his cave taken over by demons. He tried forcefully to get them out of his
cave, but the demons are unfazed.
The saint lets out a deep breath of surrender, knowing now that these demons
will not be manipulated into leaving. He looks into the eyes of each demon and
says “It looks like we’re going to be here together. I open myself to whatever
you have to teach me.”
In that moment all but one demon disappears.
One last huge and fierce demon remains. So he lets go even further. “Eat me if
you wish.” He places his head in the demon’s mouth, and at that moment the
last demon bows and dissolves into space.
2 . G I V E I N T O M Y F E A R S
- Adapted from Aura Glaser, Tricycle Magazine

22. – WA R R E N B E N N I S , O N B E C O M I N G A L E A D E R
“Leadership emerged after some rite of
passage, often a stressful one.
[This] crucible is an essential element of
becoming a leader…
Leaders emerge from their crucibles
stronger and unbroken.”

23. 3 . F I N D
J O Y I N M Y
S T R E N G T H S
• I like being Internet
famous.
• I’m happy being creative.
• I’m a seller of ideas.

24. T H I S I S M Y H A P P Y P L A C E

25. 2 0 1 5

26. R E A L I T Y S T I L L E X I S T S
• The business needs haven’t changed.
• We still need to deliver.
• I want to deliver.

27. 2 1 S T C E N T U RY G O L D R U S H
1 8 0 0 ’ S C H I N E S E - A M E R I C A N G O L D M I N E R S I N C A L I F O R N I A
We’re participating in the

28. W O R S T L I K E LY S C E N A R I O O F
S TA R T U P E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P
• Alive
• More experienced
• More employable

29. I can’t tell if what I am doing
is important or unimportant.
Perhaps that’s the wrong question.

30. T H E R E I S N O S P O O N

31. T H E R E A R E O N LY C AT S

32. Thank you.
get.cheezburger.com