--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Solve a real problem. You don't start a…" description: "\"Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along with it. You become an en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png" --- # Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because… ![“Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along with it. You become an entrepreneur to solve a real problem.” quote by Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png) > “Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along with it. You become an entrepreneur to solve a real problem.” [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Entrepreneurship should be driven by genuine problem‑solving, not by the allure of status or personal fame. **In simple terms:** Focus on real needs, not ego. Key Takeaway Purposeful ventures outlast vanity projects. Themes purpose problem‑solving motivation entrepreneurship authenticity Mood determined inspired pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - identifying market gaps - pivoting from idea to solution - seeking impact over recognition Key Concepts value creation customer pain mission‑driven leadership Practical Applications - building products that address unmet needs - aligning team incentives with problem resolution Questions to Reflect On - What problem does your venture truly address? - How can you measure impact beyond revenue? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Comes Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-entrepreneur-396542/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Entrepreneur Solve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur-solve-396541/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-problems/) [Solve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solve/) [Start Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-company/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-entrepreneur-242726/) ## Related quotes > [You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along with it. You become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-or/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I started off with a company, InfoSpace, with my own funding. The company was listed among the most successful companies and I went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/i-started-off-with-a-company-infospace-with-my-own-funding-the/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. It defines you. Forget about vacations, about going home at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-s-not-a-job-it-s-a-lifestyle-it/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, fail as fast as you can. The longer you go without that experience, the more afraid you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffry-a-timmons/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-fail-as-fast-as-you-can-the-longer/) [Jeffry A Timmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffry-a-timmons/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-s-not-a-job-it-s-a-lifestyle/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Be careful not to start a company that really belongs as a feature of another company, like the 25 Twitter URL shortener companies out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/be-careful-not-to-start-a-company-that-really-belongs-as-a-feature-of/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [There are many wrong reasons to want to be an entrepreneur. I think there's only one good reason: to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-libin/there-are-many-wrong-reasons-to-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-i-think/) [Phil Libin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-libin/) > [A lot of people want to be an entrepreneur, so it's important to know that there's a lot of ways to be an entrepreneur.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-maybank/a-lot-of-people-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-so-it-s-important-to-know/) [Alexis Maybank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-maybank/) > [Solve a real problem and the world is yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-and-the-world-is-yours/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I want to be an entrepreneur too; I like the business side of things. When I was younger I wanted to be a vet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-too-i-like-the-business-side-of-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I didn't wake up one day and want to become an entrepreneur. I had the idea for Rent the Runway and thought it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hyman/i-didn-t-wake-up-one-day-and-want-to-become-an-entrepreneur-i-had-the/) [Jennifer Hyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hyman/) > [You want to accomplish everything; there's no limits to what you want to do. You want to do movies. You want to do modeling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-skye/you-want-to-accomplish-everything-there-s-no-limits-to-what-you-want/) [Justine Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-skye/) > [The problem you ultimately want to have, as an entrepreneur, is deciding who to help, not deciding who can help you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/the-problem-you-ultimately-want-to-have-as-an-entrepreneur-is/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [I'm not really sure where it comes from, but every time I meet someone who says 'I really want to be an entrepreneur' but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-moskovitz/i-m-not-really-sure-where-it-comes-from-but-every-time-i-meet-someone/) [Dustin Moskovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-moskovitz/) > [My message to students is that if you want to become an entrepreneur and save the world, definitely don't skip college. But go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-wadhwa/my-message-to-students-is-that-if-you-want-to-become-an-entrepreneur/) [Vivek Wadhwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-wadhwa/) ## More by Aaron Patzer > [At 16, I started a web development business and had clients from the Netherlands, Caribbean, and across the country - none of whom knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/at-16-i-started-a-web-development-business-and-had-clients-from-the/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [The way you dress or the car you drive or what you spend is to impress other people with how, I guess, successful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/the-way-you-dress-or-the-car-you-drive-or-what-you-spend-is-to/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I think sports and bodybuilding were the only things that saved me from getting beat up. People are not pleased, for whatever reason, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/i-think-sports-and-bodybuilding-were-the-only-things-that-saved-me/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I know it sounds weird, but the food that I eat, it doesn't make a big difference, and it never has. So, I've saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-the-food-that-i-eat-it-doesn-t-make-a-big/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I wanted to build a tool for my generation: people 20 to 40 who don't want to spend time balancing a checkbook or checking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/i-wanted-to-build-a-tool-for-my-generation-people-20-to-40-who-don-t/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [Carefully calculate the potential size of your market to make sure you can grow. Before starting Mint, I knew that there were about 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/carefully-calculate-the-potential-size-of-your-market-to-make-sure/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [At Mint, we developed five pending patents on our technology, ranging from categorization to the Ways to Save system that calculates how much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/at-mint-we-developed-five-pending-patents-on-our-technology-ranging/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [Mint is designed to put your finances on auto-pilot. Whether you log in or not, it will send you a weekly summary of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/mint-is-designed-to-put-your-finances-on-auto-pilot-whether-you-log/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [It's okay to doubt yourself, it's okay to feel down; just never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/it-s-okay-to-doubt-yourself-it-s-okay-to-feel-down-just-never-give-up/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [In the first three years of Mint, from when it was founded to when it was sold, I can honestly say that in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/in-the-first-three-years-of-mint-from-when-it-was-founded-to-when-it/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [If you look on Amazon - if you do a search for personal finance, there are literally 20,000 books written on personal finance, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/if-you-look-on-amazon-if-you-do-a-search-for-personal-finance-there/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [I'm typically a 'just drink water' kind of guy. I was a bodybuilder in high school, so I used to - food to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/i-m-typically-a-just-drink-water-kind-of-guy-i-was-a-bodybuilder-in/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [One of my top tips for aspiring entrepreneurs: Tell everyone you know about your idea. This runs contrary to the instinct that most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/one-of-my-top-tips-for-aspiring-entrepreneurs-tell-everyone-you-know/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [When valuing a startup, add $500k for every engineer, and subtract $250k for every MBA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/when-valuing-a-startup-add-500k-for-every-engineer-and-subtract-250k/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) > [After building most of Mint.com's prototype by myself, I talked to anyone and everyone I knew about Mint. It's counter-intuitive, because you might fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/after-building-most-of-mint-com-s-prototype-by-myself-i-talked-to/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) [Explore all 45 Aaron Patzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory that comes along with it. You become an entrepreneur to solve a real problem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aaron Patzer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f40/aaron-patzer-14148_business_solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-c_20821.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Solve a real problem. You don't start a company because you want to be an entrepreneur or the fame and glory…” — Aaron Patzer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aaron Patzer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Solve a real problem. You don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```