Summary
Highlights
Kawasaki asserts that the fundamental essence of entrepreneurship is about making meaning, not just making money. Companies founded with the goal of changing the world and making it a better place are more likely to succeed and make a difference. He believes that if you make meaning, money will follow, but the reverse is rarely true.
The first way to make meaning is to increase the quality of life. Kawasaki draws on his experience with the Macintosh division at Apple, where the motivation was to make people more creative and productive, not to make money. This goal provided strong motivation through difficult times, focusing on improving users' lives.
The second way to make meaning is to right a wrong. This involves identifying something unjust or incorrect in the world and working to fix it. This approach is particularly relevant for non-profit organizations that aim to address issues like pollution, crime, or abuse.
The third way to make meaning is to prevent the end of something good. This means recognizing something beautiful or wonderful that is being eroded, changed, or ruined, and taking action to preserve it. Kawasaki encourages entrepreneurs to have at least one of these motivations when starting any organization, whether it's a company, non-profit, church, or school, suggesting a re-evaluation if these motivations are absent.