--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During dark times, real entrepreneurs…" description: "\"During dark times, real entrepreneurs come out. They are not competing with 10 look-alike companies for engineering talent, so it's a great time to inv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/douglas-leone-22054_build_during-dark-times-real-entrepreneurs-com_492703.png" --- # During dark times, real entrepreneurs come out. They are… ![“During dark times, real entrepreneurs come out. They are not competing with 10 look-alike companies for engineering talent, so it's a great time to invest and help build companies.” quote by Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/douglas-leone-22054_build_during-dark-times-real-entrepreneurs-com_492703.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/douglas-leone-22054_build_during-dark-times-real-entrepreneurs-com_492703.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19b/douglas-leone-22054_build_during-dark-times-real-entrepreneurs-com_492703.png) > “During dark times, real entrepreneurs come out. They are not competing with 10 look-alike companies for engineering talent, so it's a great time to invest and help build companies.” [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic downturns reveal resilient entrepreneurs who can thrive without talent wars. **In simple terms:** Hard times bring out strong entrepreneurs. Key Takeaway Support founders during market lows. Themes entrepreneurship economics investment Mood optimistic pragmatic Type business investment When to use this quote - startup funding - talent acquisition - business strategy - economic recession Key Concepts resilience market cycles Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help startups attract talent in downturns? - How can investors identify resilient entrepreneurs? A Different Perspective Competition for talent still exists in niche markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-times/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurs/) [Great time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-time/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time To Invest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-to-invest/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that Detroit has a terrific geographic position. It still is a hub of one of the most important industries in the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-l-doctoroff/i-believe-that-detroit-has-a-terrific-geographic-position-it-still-is/) [Daniel L. Doctoroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-l-doctoroff/) > [Engineering talent is the most precious resource for any technology company - Palantir and Addepar are successful first and foremost because of their top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lonsdale/engineering-talent-is-the-most-precious-resource-for-any-technology/) [Joe Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lonsdale/) > [Real entrepreneurs do what they say they're going to do, wannabes ask about it and have tons and tons of coffee meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wong/real-entrepreneurs-do-what-they-say-they-re-going-to-do-wannabes-ask/) [Brian Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wong/) > [“REAL Entrepreneurs will be the one's who change the world for the better. Governments must become PUBLIC servants to create the best context and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dovale/real-entrepreneurs-will-be-the-one-s-who-change-the-world-for-the/) [Tony Dovale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dovale/) > [When times are bad is when the real entrepreneurs emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/when-times-are-bad-is-when-the-real-entrepreneurs-emerge/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Real entrepreneurs have what I call the three Ps (and, trust me, none of them stands for 'permission'). Real entrepreneurs have a 'passion' for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/real-entrepreneurs-have-what-i-call-the-three-ps-and-trust-me-none-of/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [A real entrepreneurs who do not need protection nets underneath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kravis/a-real-entrepreneurs-who-do-not-need-protection-nets-underneath/) [Henry Kravis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kravis/) > [Most entrepreneurs come up with a product, or they come up with an idea and they think they can be successful with it. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/most-entrepreneurs-come-up-with-a-product-or-they-come-up-with-an/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [I am bowled over by the massive number of remarkable people who face down the fact that no, they are not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-am-bowled-over-by-the-massive-number-of-remarkable-people-who-face/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Social entrepreneurs come from all levels of society and from communities in nearly every country of the world. They all share the same underlying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-skoll/social-entrepreneurs-come-from-all-levels-of-society-and-from/) [Jeffrey Skoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-skoll/) > [I am inspired by the diversity of the entrepreneurs that come into 'Shark Tank' and the ability of the show to reach all Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-carter/i-am-inspired-by-the-diversity-of-the-entrepreneurs-that-come-into/) [Troy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-carter/) > [A manufacturing resurgence is what will give local communities and small towns across America a fighting chance for survival. Many of today's American entrepreneurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamdi-ulukaya/a-manufacturing-resurgence-is-what-will-give-local-communities-and/) [Hamdi Ulukaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamdi-ulukaya/) > [Social entrepreneurs come from different backgrounds and are by and large, starved of capital. Such socialpreneurs must have extraordinary passion to follow their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-murty/social-entrepreneurs-come-from-different-backgrounds-and-are-by-and/) [Sudha Murty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-murty/) > [I'm the classic old-school entrepreneur that says let's build companies of lasting value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-roizen/i-m-the-classic-old-school-entrepreneur-that-says-let-s-build/) [Heidi Roizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-roizen/) > [Entrepreneurs have a great ability to create change, be flexible, build companies and cultivate the kind of work environment in which they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-burch/entrepreneurs-have-a-great-ability-to-create-change-be-flexible-build/) [Tory Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-burch/) ## More by Douglas Leone > [If I could press a button and have all of Sequoia Capital on the Midas List, I would choose to do that over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/if-i-could-press-a-button-and-have-all-of-sequoia-capital-on-the/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We see China as a large market opportunity with similar cyclical economic cycles that occur throughout every economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-see-china-as-a-large-market-opportunity-with-similar-cyclical/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [The venture industry is both quite vibrant and quite competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/the-venture-industry-is-both-quite-vibrant-and-quite-competitive/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [You meet with a CEO or founder. You talk about sales, engineering, product management and give some ideas or suggestions. And the founder quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/you-meet-with-a-ceo-or-founder-you-talk-about-sales-engineering/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We like companies that can get big and powerful on $50 million or less and not two, three, four or five billion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-like-companies-that-can-get-big-and-powerful-on-50-million-or-less/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [You have to be willing to risk things; otherwise, somebody else will put you out of business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/you-have-to-be-willing-to-risk-things-otherwise-somebody-else-will/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We've tried to build Sequoia Capital with an eye for the long term that we really look for in the companies we like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/we-ve-tried-to-build-sequoia-capital-with-an-eye-for-the-long-term/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [If you start a successful company in China at 11 A.M., by 2 P.M. there's three more companies like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/if-you-start-a-successful-company-in-china-at-11-a-m-by-2-p-m-there-s/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [Crystal-clear thinking is one of the things we look for - not a fancy slide pitch, but crystal-clear thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/crystal-clear-thinking-is-one-of-the-things-we-look-for-not-a-fancy/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [In a globalized world, one application can spread like wildfire and there's only one winning company, which means you have to invest more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-leone/in-a-globalized-world-one-application-can-spread-like-wildfire-and/) [Douglas Leone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-leone/) > [We have co-opted seed funds. 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So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [You have to build what the market needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-s-miller/you-have-to-build-what-the-market-needs/) [Jamie S. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-s-miller/) > [I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/i-oppose-any-proposal-for-the-federal-government-to-build-and-operate/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Since, however, it is immaterial whether the work is done by assistants or a machine, I decided to build a machine equivalent to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-however-it-is-immaterial-whether-the-work-is-done-by-assistants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For 'Inhuman,' it's a 'chess game' series. 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