"Launching what is essentially a technology company without having a technology expert at the table."
-- Clint Smith, Emma
"Not listening more."
-- Fadi Cheikha, Electronic Cash Systems
"Not owning a majority control and having others be able to drive the boat."
-- Trent Latshaw, Latshaw Drilling & Exploration
"NDA, NDA, NDA. Never provide confidential information without an NDA."
-- Genevieve Thiers, Sittercity
"Taking too long to fire someone. I learned that as soon as you know someone is no longer contributing, and you do not see that it is going to improve, you need to fire them immediately."
-- Edmund Scanlan, Infra-Strategy
"Not being ethical. I paid a very high price for it and will never make that mistake again. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal the details due to an out of court settlement."
-- Bharat Singh Talwar, TalentBurst
"I made a bad financing deal with a hedge fund. What I learned from it is that things that appear too good to be true usually are."
-- Guy Morgan, BlueStar Energy Services
"Giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. I am not near as trusting today as I was earlier in my career."
-- Todd Crosland, Interbank FX
"Not charging enough. When you give deals to clients, they assume you do cheap work. Charge every penny you can, and it will be valued more."
-- Michael Hubbard, Media Two Interactive
"Agreeing to sell my company and be part of the dowry as a poorly treated slave for new owners, who decimated a wonderful business. Lesson: Buyers rarely want the same thing you want -- just like suitors have different views of my daughter than I have."
-- Leib Lurie, One Call Now
"Not leaving a public company to start my own business sooner."
-- Larry Rigdon, Rigdon Marine
"I am sure my biggest mistake is yet to come."
-- Trey Hollingsworth, Hollingsworth Capital Partners