Ronnie Apteker quotes:

I love making things, like software, and films, and laughter. And working with Gus Silber, to make the Funny Business book, has been a fantastic journey.

As all entrepreneurs will say, "surround yourself with good people". That is the hardest thing : finding good people.

An entrepreneur needs to have values. Values that are wholesome.

Entrepreneurs need to be positive. Always. Entrepreneurs need to be brave, often. And lastly, entrepreneurs need to be obsessed.

Entrepreneurs need to listen. They don't need to be good listeners (although it can only help) but they need to know when to listen.

Hire slowly and fire fast.

I think most entrepreneurs would refer to themselves as "accidental". No one looks for stress and pain. You stumble on to it.

There are differences in the businesses themselves, but the fundamentals are the same: give customers a good experience, charge them a reasonable price, listen to them, and treat them with respect.

When someone stands you up for a meeting, sure, you have the right to be disappointed, and perhaps even angry. But you can't take it personally - they probably do it to everyone.

When things go right (and they go right a lot - you just got to keep trying) there is nothing to really laugh about.

You can't put passion and obsession into someone's employment contract - either you are or you aren't.

Business, like life, is funny. We all go through difficult times, and we all have to face curve balls and challenges, each and every week. And we need to laugh when things are funny.

Creating art (music, books, films, etc.) can be beautiful and liberating, but trying to sell art, well, that is the movie business. There are few winners, and lots and lots of losers.

Don't take yourself too seriously - learn to laugh.

I am a bit of a workaholic, and I am still not sure what a "weekend" is all about. I love what I do, and I do what I love.

I am tough minded, but not hard hearted.

I battle to fall asleep at night. My mind races every other night. I have always been like this, for as long as I can reminder.

I could actually do a lot more if I didn't have things go wrong. So, what I am trying to do now is stay light on the parasites. If you are not drained by anyone you can do way more.

I did apply to get a job, many times, but no one ever hired me. I think my hyperactive nature didn't score me any points, and I remember when I went for interviews, I would ask all the questions - this probably confused the people who were hiring.

Never invest in ideas, only in people!

No one looks for pots of gold, it just happens. Sure, some people are born with an incredible financial ability, and some people are natural salesmen, but creating a business, driving a venture, mobilizing an army, is not something you are born to do - it just happens, by accident.

The movie industry is brutal. It is dangerous. It is, for most, soul destroying.

There is reason to smile and celebrate when you win, but when you struggle, that is about laughter. That is the pathos that is rooted in all comedy. And business is full of pain and hardship and with that, laughter and release.

Today, where you come from seems less and less important, as globalization is the new order. I prefer the old world.

What is it about business that makes us laugh - when things go wrong, which they do all the time (why, I still wish I knew) then we need to laugh.