Get All Access for $5/mo

Don't Believe Your Own Hype TakeLessons' CEO talks about the realities of starting a business and walking the fine line between self-promotion and humility.

By David Meltzer

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Steven Cox is the founder and CEO of TakeLessons, a venture-backed startup that connects students with instructors of the arts, academics and foreign languages, locally and online.

#ThePlaybook host David Meltzer talks with Cox about the origins of TakeLessons. Cox also discusses the realities of entrepreneurship and how they differ from the myths.

Cox offers lessons of his own, advising entrepreneurs to believe in themselves, but not their hype — to not take their self-promotion too seriously and to be able to see that they can be wrong at times. To do this, Cox suggests, entrepreneurs should wear both the "founder" and "investor" hats as they grow their business.

Cox talks about how he started TakeLessons after helping his rock band's drummer find work as a music instructor and how staying nimble, listening to customers and adapting allowed his company to find product-market fit before running out of money.

Cox and Meltzer also chat about how running a business compares to baseball, with the expectations shifting while the game stays the same over time. Cox explains that, at 12 years into running TakeLessons, he's now focused on making sure investors are happy and planning for the next five years.

Related: How This Entrepreneur Taught Himself to Code by the Light of a Kerosene Lamp

David Meltzer

Co-Founder of Sports 1 Marketing, Speaker, Author and Business Coach

David Meltzer, co-founder of Sports 1 Marketing and host of Entrepreneur's podcast, “The Playbook”, is a Top 100 Business Coach, global public speaker and three-time international best-selling author who has been honored by Variety as “Sports Humanitarian of the Year”.

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

Editor's Pick

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.