---
title: See If You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur With Kevin Siskar
description: Kevin Siskar runs the New York branch of the Founder Institute, where they help you succeed as an entrepreneur...if you have what it takes.
image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/See%20If%20You%20Have%20What%20It%20Takes%20To%20Be%20An%20Entrepreneur.png
---

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[Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)

 May 22, 2018

# See If You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur With Kevin Siskar

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)

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## If you think you have what it takes to be an  entrepreneur, the Founder Institute is for you

 Stream below or right-click .  

<iframe style="border-radius: 12px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" xml="lang" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2yMxee4EPQpeICaJNnviDI?utm_source=generator" width="560" height="152" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen loading="lazy"></iframe>

 

***[\[ LISTEN NOW ON APPLE PODCASTS \]](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-whisperer-wes-schaeffer-hosts-the-sales-podcast/id655310847?mt=2)***

## [Entrepreneurial Tips](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/entrepreneurs-move-on-purpose) you'll learn in [The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)...

- Helped found 110 companies
- Founder Institute—early-stage accelerator
- 14-week accelerator program 
    - Bring in mentors, CEOs, etc
    - Curriculum
    - Working groups to simulate a Board of Directors
- Why do people fail?

> The company only dies when the founder quits."

- Everything you think you know when you start is wrong...but don't stop
- The best founders have a mindset that they are open to new things
- Has a predictive psych test with five key factors 
    - High fluid intelligence. Not the same as IQ. How fast can you solve problems?
    - High openness.
    - Agreeableness (@60%)
    - Professional experience.
    - [FI.co/dna](https://fi.co/dna)
    - Narcissism and entitlement are bad.
    - Deceit and lying
    - Excuse-making
    - Predatory aggressiveness.
- They take a 4% equity stake and put it in a bonus pool shared with all of the founders in the cohort and the mentors who volunteered their time, the local director teams, and the company
- Run boot camp style.  
    - The last one started with 30, and 14 graduated.
    - All meet in person
    - Mentors rate founders, and founders rate mentors
- Start with a vision 
    - Without a strong vision and passion, your business will die at the 2-3 year point
- Iterate on one thing
- Udemy is one of their grads
- "Special assignments" are given by the mentors to founders who are falling behind 
    - Some quit
    - Some crush it
- "[Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice From The Best In The World](https://amzn.to/2kcOFNz)" you don't get paid well until you go deep on something
- Do the self-work. Figure yourself out. Know your "why."

**Related Articles:**

- [A Good Catholic Entrepreneur? (Meet David Dewolf)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/sales-podcast-episodes-21-30)
- [Design Pickle's Russ Perry Is "The Sober Entrepreneur"](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/russ-perry)
- [Pamela Slim (Escape Cubicle Nation & Embrace Your Entrepreneurial Spirit)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/pamela-slim-escape-from-cubicle-nation)

[![Twelve weeks. Live deals. We start in 48 hours. Book The Fit Call](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/443614/interactive-184500196010.png)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLICGJtcHL9wIi2hkG3IsBEctudQ8zSaA1eGgEBXBF3eVSxBD6Zbv8%2B6iKFAO6%2BY6HM6FxglKH6QiVD6FcQPRCC%2BREY90Mf9PWwPllDqSmq0qGxFLormdrMZwtoSAXZcwOcQ6uqPoHeKOhpVPyey4iVs5uUhZycDA8NWDkigqW97Xg2FXOil1rX6W1vZ84ZHGtWGCmDFDBm%2FZ36KWdINIt0b&webInteractiveContentId=184500196010&portalId=443614)

## Links Mentioned In [The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)

- Check out his podcast at [Ambition Today](https://www.siskar.co/ambitiontoday/)
- Check out Kevin's home on the web [Siskar.co](http://www.siskar.co)

[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)

## Related posts

[![The Sales Whisperer® Way' Chapter 2: What Is Your Belief System? — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Wh](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-1888014.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-1888014.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-sales-whisperer-way-chapter-2)

[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)

## [The Sales Whisperer® Way' Chapter 2: What Is Your Belief System?](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-sales-whisperer-way-chapter-2)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Jun 13, 2025

I Believe .

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/the-sales-whisperer-way-chapter-2)

[![Who's Pushing You To Do Something New? — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-2471234.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-2471234.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/whos-pushing-you-sales-coaching-for-the-motivated)

[custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai)

## [Who's Pushing You To Do Something New?](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/whos-pushing-you-sales-coaching-for-the-motivated)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Jun 13, 2025

(Kids Provide The Best Sales Coaching) "Ella Bella" is 4 (back in 2011). Yesterday Ella

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/whos-pushing-you-sales-coaching-for-the-motivated)

[![How To Sell To Irrational People — AI-powered sales insights from Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-29579758-1.jpg?height=200&name=pexels-29579758-1.jpg)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/how-to-sell-to-irrational-people-were-all-irrational)

[custom AI solution development](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/custom-ai-solution-development), [Sales Training](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/sales-training), [ROI of AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/roi-of-ai)

## [How To Sell To Irrational People (We're All Irrational)](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/how-to-sell-to-irrational-people-were-all-irrational)

![Picture of Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png?width=50&name=Wes%20Schaeffer%2c%20The%20Sales%20Whisperer%20black%20white.png) [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer) 

 Jun 13, 2025

In the last 24 hours I've had people tell me on Facebook they shed tears over the following video...

[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/how-to-sell-to-irrational-people-were-all-irrational)

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