The Unexpected Link Between Nietzsche and Entrepreneurship

It’s perhaps not immediately obvious to connect Friedrich Nietzsche, the influential German philosopher, essayist, and cultural critic, with the world of entrepreneurship.

However, serial entrepreneurs Brad Feld and Dave Jilk believe a connection exists. In the introduction to their new book, “The Entrepreneur’s Weekly Nietzsche: A Book for Disruptors,” Reid Hoffman, a well-known entrepreneur and former philosophy student, explains how Nietzsche’s ideas have shaped his thinking throughout his career.

Hoffman notes that, similar to innovative entrepreneurs, Nietzsche aimed to dismantle outdated perspectives that confined individuals to the past, and his dedication to novelty remains pertinent even today.

Making Nietzsche Accessible to Modern Entrepreneurs

If the prospect of dedicating time to studying Nietzsche seems challenging, Feld and Jilk understand. Their book is designed to make his writings more approachable by emphasizing their relevance to contemporary issues.

The book is structured into 52 individual chapters—one for each week of the year—each beginning with a Nietzsche quote followed by a founder’s story illustrating its connection to the business world.

The Genesis of the Project

We recently spoke with Brad Feld, who has previously authored books on venture capital and startup ecosystems, about his latest endeavor. The following is an edited version of our conversation.

TC: What inspired this new book?

BF: This project, a collaboration with Dave, my initial business partner, began in 2013. We were spending a weekend in Keystone with our spouses, Amy and Maureen, which typically involved a lot of reading.

Dave was reading “On Nietzsche” by Eric Steinhart. He shared a quote with me and asked if it resonated with the entrepreneurial spirit. I recall responding that it certainly did, and we both returned to our respective books.

From Stoicism to Nietzschean Insights

As Dave delved deeper into Nietzsche’s work, we continued to discuss quotes that sparked conversations about entrepreneurship.

I had been deeply engaged with Stoicism and was greatly influenced by Ryan Holiday’s writings, particularly “The Obstacle is the Way.” By 2016, we had begun working on the book.

Inspired by “The Daily Stoic,” we initially considered a similar format. We eventually refined our approach, focusing on 52 quotes instead of 365, allowing for more extensive interpretation and the inclusion of entrepreneurial narratives.

Nietzsche as a Philosophical Mentor

Nietzsche is a profoundly significant and often misinterpreted philosopher.

He serves as a bridge connecting numerous ideas from the past—extending beyond philosophy—to those that have emerged since. He doesn’t provide definitive answers but rather stimulates profound thought, making him an ideal philosophical guide for entrepreneurs who can apply his insights in diverse ways.

Book Placement: Business or Philosophy?

Should this book be categorized in the business or philosophy section of a bookstore?

Interestingly, Amazon currently lists it in both sections! Dave and I intended this to be an entrepreneurship book, applying philosophical concepts.

However, we hope that philosophers who appreciate practical applications will also find value in our work. We are not Nietzsche scholars, and we don’t claim to be, but we have both extensively read Nietzsche and have carefully selected and interpreted the quotes.

The Importance of Introspection for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are often too preoccupied to engage in self-reflection, as you acknowledge in the book. How do you encourage them to prioritize this?

Entrepreneurship is incredibly demanding and can be exceptionally difficult.

The rewards can be extraordinary, but the setbacks can be devastating, and they often occur unexpectedly. Understanding your core motivation—your “why”—is crucial for navigating these challenges.

No one else can define your “why” for you; it’s a personal discovery. As you evolve, your “why” will also change, requiring continuous self-assessment and alignment with your actions.

Building Resilience and Strategic Thinking

If you don’t dedicate time to this process, your entrepreneurial journey will be significantly harder.

Failure could be catastrophic or permanent instead of a temporary setback. Without the tools for emotional resilience, you may struggle to overcome challenges. Simply repeating Nietzsche’s quote, “What does not kill me makes me stronger,” is insufficient; you must internalize the concept.

We discuss the importance of establishing cycles of “stepping back” from the business and developing a “metastrategy”—a plan for periodically revising your overall strategy. We also note that periods of success can lead to complacency, making them crucial times for critical thinking.

The Power of Entrepreneurial Storytelling

The book features compelling oral histories. How did you select the storytellers, and were they interviewed or provided written responses that were then edited?

We focused on individuals and experiences we were familiar with and believed might connect to the chosen quotes.

We leveraged our existing network but didn’t aim for exhaustive coverage. Some stories were already known to us, while others were new discoveries.

We provided each storyteller with the quote and a brief outline of our expectations. Most submitted nearly complete narratives, while others provided outlines that we expanded upon, or we conducted interviews and crafted the text ourselves.

Our goal was to present the stories in the entrepreneurs’ own voices, capturing their authentic experiences rather than simply extending the essay.

We particularly appreciate the narratives that diverged from our initial interpretation, demonstrating the diverse ways Nietzsche’s ideas can inspire thought from a single quote.