--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and…" description: "\"Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do things that large companies simply cannot. Could a large company pull off a trick like Amyris,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/vinod-khosla-5401_ability_entrepreneurs-have-the-flexibility-and-t_1327569.png" --- # Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do… ![“Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do things that large companies simply cannot. Could a large company pull off a trick like Amyris, going from anti-malaria medicine to next-generation fuel?” quote by Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/vinod-khosla-5401_ability_entrepreneurs-have-the-flexibility-and-t_1327569.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/vinod-khosla-5401_ability_entrepreneurs-have-the-flexibility-and-t_1327569.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/vinod-khosla-5401_ability_entrepreneurs-have-the-flexibility-and-t_1327569.png) > “Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do things that large companies simply cannot. Could a large company pull off a trick like Amyris, going from anti-malaria medicine to next-generation fuel?” [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Entrepreneurs can act quickly and innovate where big firms are hindered by size and bureaucracy. **In simple terms:** Start can move fast and try risky ideas. Key Takeaway Leverage agility to innovate. Themes innovation agility entrepreneurship Mood optimistic energetic Type motivational business When to use this quote - startup pivots - new product development - rapid prototyping - strategic partnerships Key Concepts disruption resource constraints market entry Questions to Reflect On - How can startups maintain speed while scaling? - What structures help big firms become more agile? A Different Perspective Large firms may lack the nimbleness to shift focus quickly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneur/) [Entrepreneurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurs/) [Flexibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexibility/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Large companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-companies/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) ## Related quotes > [We do not believe in oversupplying the market. When you are a large company, you can afford to do it. 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Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [The typical large company has a compensation committee, They don't look for Dobermans on that committee, they look for chihuahuas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-typical-large-company-has-a-compensation-committee-they-don-t/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Changing the direction of a large company is like trying to turn an aircraft carrier. It takes a mile before anything happens. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/changing-the-direction-of-a-large-company-is-like-trying-to-turn-an/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [The more successful the unit, the more difficult it is to make sure that the large company doesn't put the same expectations on it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/the-more-successful-the-unit-the-more-difficult-it-is-to-make-sure/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [It's good to buy a large company with fine businesses when the price is beaten down over worry about one problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-earl-singleton/it-s-good-to-buy-a-large-company-with-fine-businesses-when-the-price/) [Henry Earl Singleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-earl-singleton/) > [Companies come to us because they think we can quickly turn around things in 3 or 5 months and that's really our sweet spot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-soota/companies-come-to-us-because-they-think-we-can-quickly-turn-around/) [Ashok Soota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-soota/) > [Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/going-to-work-for-a-large-company-is-like-getting-on-a-train-are-you/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [The typical project design time for a large company like IBM - and they keep track of this - is a little over four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-typical-project-design-time-for-a-large-company-like-ibm-and-they/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Certainly, we are trying to preserve all of that culture, and get the advantages of being a large company with a broad product line,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/certainly-we-are-trying-to-preserve-all-of-that-culture-and-get-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [When you're a large company with significant market share, it's tempting to view market disruptions as a threat, but we view them as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/when-you-re-a-large-company-with-significant-market-share-it-s/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [“. . . it is not possible to staff a large company without short people. There simply aren't enough tall people to go around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-not-possible-to-staff-a-large-company-without-short-people/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [There are a lot of good ideas that could benefit from big media. You have a lot of companies that hit a wall and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-levinsohn/there-are-a-lot-of-good-ideas-that-could-benefit-from-big-media-you/) [Ross Levinsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-levinsohn/) > [At most large companies, what is locally optimal for you is very frequently not what is globally optimal for the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/at-most-large-companies-what-is-locally-optimal-for-you-is-very/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) ## More by Vinod Khosla > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The world is hung up on food-based biofuels. Not only are they the wrong thing, they're the uneconomic thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-world-is-hung-up-on-food-based-biofuels-not-only-are-they-the/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I generally disagree with most of the very high margin opportunities. Why? Because it's a business strategy tradeoff: the lower the margin you take,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-generally-disagree-with-most-of-the-very-high-margin-opportunities/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The probability of failure doesn't matter to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-probability-of-failure-doesn-t-matter-to-me/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [If I collected all the diamonds in the world, I'd have no 'income' but I'd have a lot of 'assets'. Would my company be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/if-i-collected-all-the-diamonds-in-the-world-i-d-have-no-income-but-i/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [What an entrepreneur does is to build for the long run. If the market is great, you get all of the resources you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/what-an-entrepreneur-does-is-to-build-for-the-long-run-if-the-market/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [New industries are created by entrepreneurs who don't necessarily have subject matter expertise when they get started, yet they are still responsible for most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/new-industries-are-created-by-entrepreneurs-who-don-t-necessarily/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I don’t mind failing, but if I succeed it better be worth succeeding for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-don-t-mind-failing-but-if-i-succeed-it-better-be-worth-succeeding/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I believe cellulosic fuels, biofuels made from nonfood crops are the only solution that will make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/i-believe-cellulosic-fuels-biofuels-made-from-nonfood-crops-are-the/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [You have to invent the future you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/you-have-to-invent-the-future-you-want/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Hopefully, I can advise entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes. But you can never be sure if you're trying something new and unreasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/hopefully-i-can-advise-entrepreneurs-to-avoid-mistakes-but-you-can/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Seeking an acquisition from the start is more than just bad advice for an entrepreneur. For the entrepreneur it leads to short term tactical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/seeking-an-acquisition-from-the-start-is-more-than-just-bad-advice/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Letting the perfect be the enemy of the good is one of the reasons we have a coal-dependent infrastructure, with the resulting environmental impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/letting-the-perfect-be-the-enemy-of-the-good-is-one-of-the-reasons-we/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [Germany has a lot of solar power. In fact, in 2005, some 55 or 57 percent of worldwide installations were photovoltaics in Germany. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/germany-has-a-lot-of-solar-power-in-fact-in-2005-some-55-or-57/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [The willingness to fail gives us the freedom to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/the-willingness-to-fail-gives-us-the-freedom-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) [Explore all 101 Vinod Khosla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Entrepreneurs have the flexibility and the ability to do things that large companies simply cannot. 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