--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The start-up life kept me busy and…" description: "\"The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of not being able to stay on top of my personal finances, which led me to invent Mint.com. I wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/aaron-patzer-14148_able_the-start-up-life-kept-me-busy-and-surfa_2866979.png" --- # The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of… ![“The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of not being able to stay on top of my personal finances, which led me to invent Mint.com. I was working 80-hour weeks, and had done enough preliminary work and research to know I had a big idea: To make money management effortless and…” quote by Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/aaron-patzer-14148_able_the-start-up-life-kept-me-busy-and-surfa_2866979.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/aaron-patzer-14148_able_the-start-up-life-kept-me-busy-and-surfa_2866979.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9a/aaron-patzer-14148_able_the-start-up-life-kept-me-busy-and-surfa_2866979.png) > “The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of not being able to stay on top of my personal finances, which led me to invent Mint.com. I was working 80-hour weeks, and had done enough preliminary work and research to know I had a big idea: To make money management effortless and automated.” [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. Overwork and financial disarray inspired a solution for automated money management. **In simple terms:** Busy life spurred Mint. Key Takeaway Create tools to simplify finances. Themes entrepreneurship finance automation Mood practical inspirational Type business technology When to use this quote - budgeting - small business - personal finance apps - time management - efficiency Key Concepts product design financial literacy startup culture Questions to Reflect On - How can automation improve personal finance? - What risks exist in delegating money management? A Different Perspective May simplify complex financial decisions too much. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Big idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-idea/) [Finances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finances/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-management/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Preliminary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preliminary/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Start up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-up/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Before Mint.com, I was a long-time user of 'Microsoft Money' and Intuit's 'Quicken.' Both were powerful tools, loaded with features and functionality around taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/before-mint-com-i-was-a-long-time-user-of-microsoft-money-and-intuit/) [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/) > [When I first got money, I went through it like everybody else, because I didn't know. But, right now, I've educated myself and placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/when-i-first-got-money-i-went-through-it-like-everybody-else-because/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [Be you in what line of life you may, it will be amongst your misfortunes if you have not time properly to attend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cobbett/be-you-in-what-line-of-life-you-may-it-will-be-amongst-your/) [William Cobbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cobbett/) > [“For a person to be self-reliant in any community, a level of competence is required that enables the accomplishment of tasks beyond those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-gillen/for-a-person-to-be-self-reliant-in-any-community-a-level-of/) [Glen Gillen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-gillen/) > [As people strengthened their willpower muscles in one part of their lives—in the gym, or a money management program—that strength spilled over into what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/as-people-strengthened-their-willpower-muscles-in-one-part-of-their/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [I don't know about you, but where I went to school, Money Management 101 wasn't offered. Instead we learned about the War of 1812,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/i-don-t-know-about-you-but-where-i-went-to-school-money-management/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [ The general systems of money management \[today\] require people to pretend to do something they can't do and like something they don't. It's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-general-systems-of-money-management-today-require-people-to/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [If you don't have the money management skills yet, using a debit card will ensure you don't overspend and rack up debt on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/if-you-don-t-have-the-money-management-skills-yet-using-a-debit-card/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [“All statistics have outliers. Money management, therefore, is key to the process of good trading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvan-byeajee/all-statistics-have-outliers-money-management-therefore-is-key-to-the/) [Yvan Byeajee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvan-byeajee/) > [It's important for students to learn to make smart money management decisions before heading off to college or the entering the workforce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jenkins/it-s-important-for-students-to-learn-to-make-smart-money-management/) [Malcolm Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jenkins/) > [Money management has been a profession involving a lot of fakery - people saying they can beat the market, and they really can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/money-management-has-been-a-profession-involving-a-lot-of-fakery/) [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [Ain't only three things to gambling: knowing the 60-40 end of the proposition, money management, and knowing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puggy-pearson/ain-t-only-three-things-to-gambling-knowing-the-60-40-end-of-the/) [Puggy Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puggy-pearson/) > [It's natural that you'd have more brains going into money management. There are so many huge incomes in money management and investment banking -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/it-s-natural-that-you-d-have-more-brains-going-into-money-management/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Harvard and Yale concentrated with venture capitalists that got the best calls and brainpower. Very few firms made most of the money, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/harvard-and-yale-concentrated-with-venture-capitalists-that-got-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## More by Aaron Patzer > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-patzer/solve-a-real-problem-you-don-t-start-a-company-because-you-want-to-be/) [Aaron Patzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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/) [Explore all 45 Aaron Patzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-patzer/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The start-up life kept me busy and surfaced the problem of not being able to stay on top of my personal finances, which led me to invent Mint.com. 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