Atomic Wedgie and Entrepreneurship: A Fireside Chat with Porter Haney

No, this article is not about how to give a wedgie or even wedgie videos. Instead, this is an interview with Porter Haney, an entrepreneur and founder of wedgies.com, a polling platform for the real time web.

Similar to our interview with Neil Patel, we’ve asked Porter a few questions with the hope that his answers will provide good advice for those currently in high school or college but wish to eventually become an entrepreneur.

After this post, go check out wedgies.com and become a wedgie boy or a wedgie girl. Sounds weird, I know. Anyways, enjoy the interview.

1. Can you share your background with the audience and what you’re up to currently?

I’m a passionate skier, photographer and entrepreneur. I recount our outdoor adventures atFamousInternetSkiers.com and am currently building wedgies.com, a polling platform for the real time  web. We’re part of the burgeoning #vegastech startup scene and Downtown Project, an initiative to make Las Vegas the largest community focused city in the world.

2. Thinking back to your time in High School and College, what classes or training do you suggest for students aspiring to become entrepreneurs one day?

I relate entrepreneurship to the simplest forms of education.

When you’re in grade school you’re learning simple skills – how to make friends, how to socialize, how to communicate. At it’s core, entrepreneurship is about building lasting relationships through business. These skills are very human, and things you might pickup in the halls of school as well as in the classroom.

I’d encourage students to find something they’re passionate about, people they want to surround themselves with while they chase that passion, and a patience and resilience to chase that passion for a long time.

3. So, a tutor is kind of like a mentor. What mentors did you have and what affect did they have on your career of life decisions?

Entrepreneurship is a skill best taught through mentor and peer networks. You can’t learn every entrepreneurship lesson by reading a book or talking with other potential entrepreneurs. You need seasoned people, who’ve been through similar businesses and experiences. They’ll be the best guiding light for you as you try to tackle new problems.

4. Any final career advice for the budding entrepreneur in High School or College?

I believe in a few core rules and try to follow them in most aspects of what I do.  Treat others the way you want to be treated. And, two wrongs don’t make a right.  I believe that following these types of rules, while working hard, creates sustainable success that you can be proud of as an individual and a business.

To learn more about Porter, you can follow him on his Google Plus Profile.