in conversation with founder & CEO, Daniel Shapiro
Inspiration at Fourlaps comes in many forms. Vintage images of Ivy League and Olympic athletes inspired our classic aesthetic. We look to the masters of modern art like Christopher Wool and Ed Ruscha to inform our evolving graphic tee collection.
Above anything, though, we’re inspired by fearlessness. We love hearing stories from ambitious men and women who have followed their passionate pursuits with abandon and tireless dedication.
Recently, our CEO and Founder Daniel Shapiro met with a truly inspiring changemaker from another industry--Jonathan Wasserstrum, CEO and Co-Founder of the commercial real estate platform SquareFoot. Here, Jonathan shares what got him out of the gate, and what he believes it takes to move forward with your biggest (and sometimes most daunting) goals.
DS: What was it like starting your business before you were ready?
JW: It was an opportunity to learn a tremendous amount. In this case, by making a bunch of mistakes…(just never the same one twice). There’s no such thing as doing something well without making mistakes. You weren’t born knowing your multiplication tables, you learned them by practicing and making a bunch of errors along the way. But then you know them...or hopefully you do!
DS: What made you take that first leap?
JW: I had a strong desire to try to build something, and to help bring commercial real estate leasing into the modern world along the way.
DS: What did you learn in the process?
JW: You’ll never be fully ready, so getting comfortable with making decisions in the face of uncertainty is extremely important.
DDS: I completely agree. Learning how to be comfortable and confident in times of uncertainty is a really important lesson here. What advice would you give to other people who want to start a new passion project or fitness routine but are blocked by fear?
JW: You’ll always have five reasons why you shouldn’t do something. Sometimes you just have to stop thinking and start doing.
About Jonathan Wasserstrum
Jonathan is the CEO and Co-Founder of SquareFoot, a platform for commercial real estate leasing reengineering the process from initial search through closing and beyond. Outside of work, he spends his time with the four b’s: biking, bourbon, buffalo wings, and brass bands.