We’ve recently launched the BluePointe Capital Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Award to honor the brilliant creators who are changing society for the better. As part of this initiative, we’re taking a closer look at the people and leaders who we feel embody the values that our award is based upon. In this segment we’re looking at Elon Musk, the creator of brands such as PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla.

The values that our award is based upon are as follows:

Entrepreneurial Spirit
Passion for Innovation
Positive Energy
Strategic Direction
Personal Integrity/Influence

Entrepreneurial Spirit

We define entrepreneurial spirit as the following:

Embodies commitment, vision, calculated risk-taking and capacity for personal growth.
Demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity and to overcoming obstacles.
Has learned from disappointing experiences.
Relies on trusted individuals while showing ability to be an independent thinker and take risks in the face of uncertainty.

The reason that we feel Elon Musk is an outstanding example of the entrepreneurial spirit is his ability to overcoming disappointment. He has had many failures in the course of his career, ranging from mechanical failures in his Tesla brand to rockets crashing. SpaceX almost went bankrupt.

What’s remarkable about Musk is that he never lets it stop him from fighting through and progressing. He views these as experiments that didn’t work out and simply moves on to the next step.

Positive Energy:

Employees, colleagues, customers, and investors should feel energized being around a leader. Musk is highly charismatic with a positive outlook and optimism for a better future. This is inspirational and indubitably it has allowed him to persist through highly challenging circumstances in his businesses.

Passion for Innovation:

Here is how we would define a leader with a passion for innovation.

Pioneers a new approach or technology.
Recognizes business imperative of anticipating and embracing changes occurring in the competitive environment through continuous improvement in all aspects of the business.
Creates a culture of innovation. Inspires others to keep up with the pace of change instead of staying with a day-late idea.

Many people would consider Musk to be the most innovative entrepreneur of our time. What’s amazing about him is that he seems to believe that there is an innovation to solve every problem that arises. He sees problems as opportunities and that is what has led him to his success.

Strategic Direction:

Creates and turns vision into business realities.
Builds and rebuilds the team’s commitment to the common goals.
Demonstrates entrepreneurial maturity by building strategic alliances and surrounding him/herself with talented people—individuals, teams, the Board, and a range of advisers/allies to ensure success for all.

Musk takes a scientific approach to building teams, one that is based upon an understanding of their behavior and talent, and he leads them through action.

Personal Integrity/Influence:

Leads by example.
Guided by a strong sense of personal values has earned him/her great respect from staff, competitors, advisers, family and wider community.
Has potential to influence by contributing something to the world that improves it in a new and different way and creates a social impact.

He’s on a mission to save humanity. What more noble cause is there?

Summary

Know an entrepreneur that embodies these values? Nominate him or her for our award by visiting here.