[quote style=”boxed”]Believe in myself more, take greater risks pursuing my passions, and be more present.[/quote]
Benjamin Chen is a leader in business and technology management, with over 25 years of experience working with startups, fortune companies and private equity focused on media, online advertising, interactive agency, enterprise software, content management systems, networking and data centers. Mr. Chen is a board member of Viggle Inc. (VGGL), a loyalty program for television that gives people real rewards for checking into the television shows they’re watching.
What are you working on right now?
myIDkey is the first fingerprint, voice-search, secure Bluetooth / USB drive that displays passwords and ID on the go as well as works with all smart mobile devices and personal computers.
Where did the idea for myIDkey come from?
One of our founders, Tareq Risheq got kept forgetting his passwords to his online bank accounts and other web sites. He was playing with his key chain and asked himself “why isn’t there a secure portable device that has my passwords?” Thus, myIDkey was created.
How do you make money?
We just finished a very successful Kickstarter campaign selling 5,000 units in 30 days, and are now preparing to distribute the myIDkey to major retailers around the globe.
What does your typical day look like?
I start my day at 5:30 am going thru my inbox and twitter and news feeds, go for a quick swim, abs and martial arts workout, meditate, then go to the office, in meetings most of the day, then back home with my family. I travel frequently during the week and often have many business breakfasts and dinners.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I like to test ideas quickly, often consulting friends and experts in different fields, gathering data, and then finally listening to my gut.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
The internet of things. We are coming into an age of truly connected machines, not just people.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
Managing IT for a law firm. The law of physics includes politics, and politics can be very inefficient.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
Believe in myself more, take greater risks pursuing my passions, and be more present.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Be comfortable with seeking and dealing with the truth of a situation, whether its dealing with sales data, product milestones; don’t let your personal anxieties get in the way of good leadership.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I used to to be a bad listener. I reached out to my network and started participating in CEO groups and getting leadership and life coaching.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
The world intersection of self directed healthcare, sensors, and big data.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be and how would you go about it?
Being more present and pursuing my dreams earlier.
Tell us something about you that very few people know?
I played clarinet for 12 years and almost majored in music.
What are your three favorite online tools or resources and what do you love about them?
My favorite online tools are: Google, Twitter, and Facebook. I love these tools because they make the world flat.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer. It’s a great book about finding one’s truth.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
Fred Wilson, Brad Feld, Jerry Colonna. I follow them because the often talk about VC, Startup Business, and Startup life. All three have been previous investors as well as mentors in my life.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
My daughter.playing with her puppy.
Who is your hero?
Bruce Li
What is the most important traits about leadership?
Good leaders are consistent, trustful and empathetic.
What are my favorite interests outside of family and work?
I love practicing the martial arts, having been a practitioner for almost 30 years. I currently have two black belts in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido and now training in Brazilian Jujitsu.
Connect:
I am active user of LinkedIn : ,
Benjamin Chen on Twitter :
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.