Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Report Download - page 22

20 Goldman Sachs 2013 Annual Report
DANIEL EK AND MARTIN LORENTZON in Sweden saw a sea change in
the way the world discovers, buys and listens to music. Founded in 2008,
Spotify became a global leader in online music subscription because Ek and
Lorentzon identified the right mix of a successful freemium model, social
networking features and a service that gives users access to over 20 million
tracks. The company has grown with strategic advice and financing from
a number of investors, including Goldman Sachs. Spotify now has over
24 million active users and over 6 million paying subscribers worldwide.
First-movers do not always rise to
the top — creativity, a sound business
model and a keen understanding of
consumer preferences set enduring
market leaders apart
As data becomes a key strategic resource
for businesses, powerful data storage solutions
are becoming mission-critical. Nimble Storage
CEO Suresh Vasudevan saw this opportunity
and helped companies around the world rethink
their traditional approaches to data storage. The
idea: a hybrid, Flash-optimized storage platform
powered by a new storage operating system
that integrates the speed of solid-state storage
with the efficiency of high-capacity disk storage.
The result: a new solution that delivers higher
performance, uses less hardware and provides
next-generation support through an innovative
cloud-based service. In December, Nimble
raised $193 million in its IPO, lead managed
by Goldman Sachs.
ENTREPRENEURS
WITH THE RIGHT
ANSWER, AT THE
RIGHT MOMENT,
EXPERIENCE RAPID
GROWTH
STRONG
NETWORKS AMONG
ENTREPRENEURS ARE
HELPING INNOVATORS
GROW THEIR
BUSINESSES AND
SCALE QUICKLY “When you’re an
entrepreneur, your
passion and vision
are so strong that it’s
almost impossible for
somebody to knock
you over.”
Julie Rice, SoulCycle
co-founder and co-CEO,
helped found the popular
indoor cycling chain because
she believed spin class “could
be so much more.”
“Take advantage of the
opportunities in front of you,
take a risk, jump.”
Elizabeth Cutler, SoulCycle co-founder
and co-CEO, looks forward to expanding
her company to new cities, overseas and
across the Internet.
“I’m not selling
something that’s just a
product for me. This is
my life, and I’m all in.”
Ben Milne, Dwolla co-founder
and CEO, founded a stand-alone
payment network and infra-
structure after seeing his profits
diminished by credit card fees.
“If you’re doing something
you’re deeply passionate about,
that’s giving you meaning, that
you believe in, the journey is as
much a satisfactory experience
as the goal.”
Daniel Lubetzky, KIND Healthy Snacks
founder and CEO, created a revolutionary
line of healthy snacks made from ingredients
you can see and pronounce®
.
15
16
NO17
NO
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
View their videos
Go to: goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/
our-conferences/builders-and-innovators-2013
“The 2013 Builders & Innovators Summit
brought together a group of entrepreneurs
that are doing really interesting work — so that
they can network, and have an opportunity
to interact with other innovators who have
been successful at building businesses and
establishing their platforms. Our goal is for
the entrepreneurs to take away best practices,
connections and relationships that will help
them achieve their goals.” — David Solomon,
co-head of the Investment Banking Division
at Goldman Sachs
The Summit gives 100 rising entrepreneurs
the chance to share ideas among their peers
and learn from some of the most seasoned
business and financial leaders in the world.
View video
David Solomon on the challenges and opportunities
facing entrepreneurs today. Go to: goldmansachs.com/
annual-report-2013/david-solomon
BUSINESSES AND