Not everyone has the conviction, guts, and perseverance to act on a first instinct and follow through until it’s successful. A highly competitive market that stretches far and wide (thanks to eCommerce) makes it hard to come up with new ideas that don’t already exist and compete with the industry behemoths. Entrepreneurs have a special spark that allows them to create something new and the drive needed to guide their growth to success. When it comes to acting on instinct and creating solutions for gaps in the market, Alexander Guizzetti is one of the best. He is an industry disruptor, a determined visionary, and a mentor for startup companies.
After graduating in 2012, Alexander Guizzetti bootstrapped his first business out of college which now grosses 8-figure revenues a year with no signs of slowing down. Today, Alex focuses on early-stage startups looking for seed round funding or a Series A raises through his venture firm, 9d Ventures.
Through 9d Ventures, Guizzetti supports other entrepreneurs with their own vision, drive, and creative solutions. He’s continually on the hunt for founders who have a great pitch deck and a promising venture.
Guizzetti notes:
“In my opinion, the best ideas come from experiencing frustration, whether it’s in your personal life or professional life. I often think to myself, “there has to be a better way than this, right?”. I then go do some research to see what else there is in the market and I’m often surprised by the results. In some cases, I find there is an existing solution to my problem and I’m thoroughly impressed by the intuition of others to proactively solve a problem. In many cases, what’s currently out in the market is an established brand but with its success has become less agile and therefore may have not adopted change as quickly to improve their products.”
Running 9d Ventures has helped Guizzetti set the stage for his own future ideas. He is currently working on DirectMessage.me—set to be launched in the middle of 2021. This messaging platform offers a way for fans to connect with their favorite personalities. The communications company plans to help influencers and celebrities safely connect with their biggest supporters.
Many entrepreneurs love the flexibility and freedom of running their own businesses. Guizzetti is always on the move with a jam-packed schedule. Some of the tasks on his daily itinerary include downtime and exercise, which helps him be productive and stay focused on work-related tasks.
Guizzetti says, “Exercise to help maintain a healthy work-life balance is probably my biggest tip for improving productivity. Some of the things you do outside of work make you the most productive at work. It might not seem related, but your brain really needs that break. Starting with a quiet morning, socializing with colleagues and friends, or walking my dog at night are highly productive parts of my day that help me refuel for meetings or other work-related tasks.”
As the founder and president for 9d Ventures, Guizzetti oversees the day-to-day activities and manages teams of employees that keep the ventures running. He tends to follow a less traditional work schedule, waking up when it feels natural most days (typically, around 7-8 am) and then staying up late to respond to overseas employees who are just starting their day.
Guizzetti doesn’t have plans to slow down any time soon. He continues to write down all ideas, fleshing out the ones that have the most promise. “I love the idea of lean, agile businesses disrupting larger entities,” says Guizzetti. “This is where true innovation often comes from.”
About Carson Derrow
