I think it was Mark Cuban that once said that entrepreneurs have to learn to succeed “in spite of everything.” (If it wasn’t Mark Cuban, well, Mark Cuban’s probably said something similar at some point so we’ll just go with it). Being successful “in spite of” is key to the way we view success.

While we often talk about how great it is to be a nimble startup, the reality is that early businesses faces the biggest hurdles, the most fundamental constraints. There isn’t enough money to pay for everything. There aren’t enough people to do the job. Success is completely dependent on you and the way you decide to deal with these constraints.

Succeeding in spite of these odds is what makes us love entrepreneurs. Especially in the startup world, people love the struggling success story. Startup lore is filled with the guys who’ve built computers in their garage, written software at night after a full day of work, lived off of ramen and in their parents’ basement. No one roots for the juggernaut.

Without resources, early entrepreneurs have to learn to embrace these constraints and succeed in spite of them. If you don’t have money, figure out how much you can do without it. Better yet, figure out how to convince people to give you money. If you start your business with someone you meet on the internet on the other side of the globe, make efficient communication and 24/7 support your forte. If you don’t know where to start, start a blog.

Success is part creativity and part skill, but 100% owed to passion. The passionate will persevere and stick around long enough to trump any lack of skill or creativity.

This weekend I attended Salem State College’s 198th graduation ceremony and heard a booming, passionate commencement speech by Prof. Charles Ogletree of Harvard University’s School of Law. His words were funny, serious, and inspiring — everything you could hope for out of at commencement. At one point, Prof. Ogletree talked about the real driver of American strength (roughly 4 minutes into the video):

America today is not measured by the graduating class at Harvard. It’s measured by the graduating class of Salem Sate College. You are the single mother, raising children, cooking dinner, and reading course materials, all in the same night last week … You are the student working two jobs … You are the one who despite the skepticism of your friends and buddies, returned to college as an older student and stand here today proud of the fact that you’ve made it.

In the crowd listening to Prof. Ogletree at Salem State College’s 198th graduation ceremony, sat my Mom. She was listening to Prof. Ogletree while preparing to accept her diploma in spite of 20 years, 3 colleges, 4 kids, 1 husband, and numerous jobs. She persevered, dedicated herself to her goal, embraced her constraints, and now rightfully takes her place in successful, entrepreneurial lore. Congrats Mom.

I’d also like to welcome Vik Venkatraman to Enter Venture. Vik and I both studied Biomedical Engineering at Columbia, lived to tell the tale, and have run from the field ever since. After seeing his few posts on The Starving Entrepreneur, I knew I had found a kindred entrepreneurial spirit and we’ve shared experiences ever since.

He recently volunteered to share his content and continue blogging about early entrepreneurs on Enter Venture, and I couldn’t be more excited to add another blogger to the team (and by team I mean there are now 2 of us). His first post should give you an idea of what to expect. Vik should complement my posts well with a less web-centric, but more complete view of what it’s like to be an early entrepreneur. Welcome aboard, Vik!

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