The Value of Failure: Celebrating the Persistence of Entrepreneurs

Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. 

RESOURCES

• "Data Snapshot: Tenure and Contingency in US Higher Education," by Glenn Colby (American Association of University Professors, 2023).
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth (2016).
• "Entrepreneurship and the U.S. Economy," by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2016).
• "A CV of Failures," by Melanie Stefan (Nature, 2010).

EXTRAS

• “How to Succeed at Failing,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
• "Annie Duke Thinks You Should Quit," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022).
• "How Do You Know When It’s Time to Quit?" by No Stupid Questions (2020).
• “Honey, I Grew the Economy,” by Freakonomics Radio (2019).
• “The Upside of Quitting," by Freakonomics Radio (2011).
• "The Ramen Now - Rapid Desktop Cooking for Delicious Meals," Kickstarter campaign by Travis Thul.

SOURCES:

• John Boykin, website designer and failed paint can re-inventor.
• Angela Duckworth, host of No Stupid Questions, co-founder of Character Lab, and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.
• Helen Fisher, senior research fellow at The Kinsey Institute and chief science advisor to Match.com.
• Eric von Hippel, professor of technological innovation at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management.
• Jill Hoffman, founder and C.E.O. of Path 2 Flight.
• Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making.
• Steve Levitt, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, co-author of the Freakonomics books, and professor of economics at the University of Chicago.
• Joseph O’Connell, artist.
• Mike Ridgeman, advocacy manager at Trek Bicycles and former professor.
• Melanie Stefan, professor of physiology at Medical School Berlin.
• Travis Thul, director of operations and senior fellow at the University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute.