Get All Access for $5/mo

The Secret to Success No One Tells Entrepreneurs Kim Perell was 23, broke and lost. Here's how she found success anyway.

By Matthew McCreary

Kim Perell's first business venture left her bankrupt and lost, but she didn't give up. She had a big idea for online marketing, and when the banks refused to offer her a loan, she reached out to her grandmother. And though her grandmother didn't know much about internet marketing -- or even about the internet, for that matter -- she gave her $10,000 to try a fresh start.

For three years, Perell did her best to cut costs and build her business, before eventually selling it to Amobee for $235 million. In this video, Perell breaks down the key to her rebound and success: execution.

Perell says there are five factors that contribute to execution. The first of them is vision. During her last venture, Perell put a post-it note on her mirror of her goals, which she looked at every day. Those reminders helped keep her on course.

Watch the video to learn more about Perell's keys to executing on her business ideas.

Matthew McCreary

Entrepreneur Staff

Associate Editor, Contributed Content

Matthew McCreary is the associate editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

You'll Never Satisfy Your Customers — or Grow Your Business — Without Doing These 3 Things

Customer feedback can be used to drive sustainable growth. Here are three approaches to how you can move past measurement to drive improvement and ultimately grow your business.

Business News

Southwest Airlines Is Switching Up Its Boarding Policy and Assigning Seats for the First Time Ever

The airline, known for its unique open seating model, will assign seats for the first time in company history.

Leadership

From Crisis to Control — How to Lead Effectively in High-Stress Scenarios

From the eye of the storm to the heart of leadership: How BELFOR's Sheldon Yellen's approach to the disaster recovery industry is revolutionizing resilience in business.

Growing a Business

5 Lessons Nonprofit Leaders Can Learn from Big Tech

Nonprofits can do more good by adopting a few key lessons from tech companies — like focusing on efficiency and using data for strategic decision-making.

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.