Forbes '76 and Expedia CEO address EP Forum
Jenna Stark
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Campus News
Seniors take note: Timothy Forbes '76, chief operating officer of Forbes, Inc., encourages you to "follow your passions and dreams" because there's "plenty of time to make a living."
Forbes, a member of the Corporation's Board of Fellows, and Dara Khosrowshahi '91, chief executive officer of Expedia, Inc., addressed students and alums as the keynote speakers at the 11th Annual Entrepreneurship Forum, hosted by the Brown University Entrepreneurship Program.
The forum, held in Faunce House on Feb. 23, consisted of the keynote speakers' lectures, panels and roundtable discussions. Forbes, the first keynote speaker, began his speech by expressing his "surprise and delight" that Brown now has an entrepreneurial program, which was not present during his years at the University.
"It is evidence of a very wonderful change in the world and at Brown that this program exists here," he told The Herald after the speech. "As a student you are an entrepreneur in that you are responsible for your education."
Forbes advised the audience to look to the past for lessons on entrepreneurship - for example, that timing and purpose are instrumental to success in business. His grandfather, B.C. Forbes, used the booming economic climate of the 1920s, along with a little luck, to grow Forbes magazine, he said. In addition to his business savvy, B.C. Forbes was known for his motto that the origin of business was to "produce happiness, not to pile up millions," Forbes added.
Advocating optimism and courage, Forbes urged the forum attendees to take risks in order to succeed. "Try to always remember that every problem we face is someone else's business," he said, calling this phenomenon "creative destruction." While Forbes magazine could have lost many readers as the Internet gained prominence, the company instead was able to adapt, and actually grew. Forbes, Inc. made a profit and achieved international fame with the creation of its Web site, forbes.com, Forbes said.
Forbes, a member of the Corporation's Board of Fellows, and Dara Khosrowshahi '91, chief executive officer of Expedia, Inc., addressed students and alums as the keynote speakers at the 11th Annual Entrepreneurship Forum, hosted by the Brown University Entrepreneurship Program.
The forum, held in Faunce House on Feb. 23, consisted of the keynote speakers' lectures, panels and roundtable discussions. Forbes, the first keynote speaker, began his speech by expressing his "surprise and delight" that Brown now has an entrepreneurial program, which was not present during his years at the University.
"It is evidence of a very wonderful change in the world and at Brown that this program exists here," he told The Herald after the speech. "As a student you are an entrepreneur in that you are responsible for your education."
Forbes advised the audience to look to the past for lessons on entrepreneurship - for example, that timing and purpose are instrumental to success in business. His grandfather, B.C. Forbes, used the booming economic climate of the 1920s, along with a little luck, to grow Forbes magazine, he said. In addition to his business savvy, B.C. Forbes was known for his motto that the origin of business was to "produce happiness, not to pile up millions," Forbes added.
Advocating optimism and courage, Forbes urged the forum attendees to take risks in order to succeed. "Try to always remember that every problem we face is someone else's business," he said, calling this phenomenon "creative destruction." While Forbes magazine could have lost many readers as the Internet gained prominence, the company instead was able to adapt, and actually grew. Forbes, Inc. made a profit and achieved international fame with the creation of its Web site, forbes.com, Forbes said.