Yesterday, Evernote hosted a meetup here in Berlin at the co-working space Betahaus. There was a great turnout, with about 130 people attending. And considering that the legend of Evernote himself was slated to attend, it’s really no wonder that it was such a success.

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Phil Libin (CEO of Evernote and all around awesome guy) and Rafe Needleman (Platform Advocate of Evernote and a tech writer with a great sense of humor) were here to announce a new partnership which rocks for Deutsche Telekom customers. Basically, everyone who is a Deutsche Telekom phone user (land-line or mobile) will get a year of premium service from Evernote. It’s kind of an awesome thing for anyone who is thinking of trying it out. And of course for Evernote too, who knows that the app is like crack. And once people start really using it, and have it on multiple devices, they just want to use it more and more. (Sorry folks, but there is nothing in the pipeline for a US partnership like this.)

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This meetup was a rather informal event, despite the big news, and Phil actually took a bit of time to talk about his own entrepreneurial experience. Once you start listening to him, it’s obvious that he hasn’t lost that entrepreneurial flair and passion at all. He still considers Evernote a startup, despite the fact that it’s grown to be over 250 employees and raised about $251 million in capital last year. And even though he gets swarmed when he goes to Japan because he’s considered a celebrity there, he’s not too proud to sit on a rickety stool that is tattered and frayed.

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In fact, he’s an incredibly easy going person that emits an openness and charm that just makes him feel approachable. Which is probably why he often gets asked for personal advice from people who are entrepreneurs or trying to get their own startups off the ground. Evernote is actually his third start up company, and by far his most successful. And in fact, he invites people to contact him personally all the time, regardless of whether they are “somebody” or not.

So what sort of tips does Phil Libin give to people when they ask for business advice?

  1. No tricks — This is the number one tip Phil gives…and it’s all about honesty and openness. Don’t try to trick people into buying something, sell a scam or act like you’re something you’re not. Do not run around acting as if you are a huge company when it’s just you sitting behind a desk in your living room. More and more people now want to buy from a real person and the faces behind a brand, not just some big conglomerate. So be yourself and don’t be afraid to show people who you really are.
  2. Be the best at what you do — There is no point in doing something half-assed. If you’re not going to give it your all, then just don’t bother. When it comes to cleaning your house, some dusting and cleaning is better than none. But if you’re going to just smear the dirt instead of using a clean rag, it makes no sense. The same is true with your business. If you are going to run your own business, give it 110% and let your customers know that you stand behind your products and services.
  3. Don’t be an idiot — Evernote was created to make people smarter and help them improve their lives. No one likes stupid people or ignorance. And pretending to be either of those is one of the worst ideas ever, especially if you hope that the helpless-act will bring success. It only worked so long for Paris Hilton, and it’s not likely to work for you anyway. Plus I doubt you have the bankroll that she does to pull it off.
    evernote-meetup-arrival
  4. Create a product that people will love — While that seems simple enough, I think that many people forget this very simple fact. First and foremost, you need to use it yourself and make sure it’s awesome. But outside of that, you have to make sure that people will fall in love with it and never want to let it go. Your product or service doesn’t have to be 100% unique, but it has to make people feel they need it and can’t live without it (especially after they have tried it.)
  5. Figure out a way to get them to pay for it — Evernote’s entire system is based on free services with a premium upgrade. But no one is forced to buy the Premium service. And in fact, many people may not need it. But once they fall in love with your brand and product, people start going out of their way to give you money. It happens with Evernote, Apple and many other brands. If you work in a service industry, it can happen as referrals because people start talking about what awesome work you have done for them. Be great and you will achieve further greatness.
  6. Build a 100 year company — The current goal of Phil Libin is to make Evernote a company that lasts for the next 100 years. And behind that goal is a lot of enthusiasm and passion for what he does and what Evernote stands for. Everyone in the company is passionate about making the brand succeed, even the team of 30 brand ambassadors that I am personally part of. And to be honest, it’s entirely contagious. If you love what you are doing and can see yourself doing it for the next 100 years (if you are so lucky), then others will notice that enthusiasm and get on your bandwagon.
    evernote-meetup-phil-libin
  7. Always read emails from Swedes — This one may not entirely fit for everyone, but I think it’s also a bit of a sign to not ignore anyone — even if you think they are “too small” or insignificant. Evernote was 3 weeks from going bust and Phil’s venture capital pitch was miserable. (He actually gave us the spiel — trust me, no one was going to give him money with that thing!) But an Evernote user who loved the product happened to mention in an email that he loved the app and would totally invest in it if he had the chance. Phil found out the guy was serious, the Swede invested $500,000, saving Evernote and allowing it to become what it is today. Everyone has the potential to make your business greater or more successful. Yes, it’s true that some will just try to tear you down and they should be ignored and avoided whenever possible. But don’t blow people off from the start because you never know who might be able to help you achieve greatness — or who you might be able to do the same for. evernote-meetup-betahaus
  8. Sometimes you have to know how to play the game — In case you are asked to throw your business card into a a bag or whatever for a drawing, here’s a tip: Increase the surface area of your business card by folding it in half. Then unfold the card before you put it into the bin. When cards are drawn, the folded ones will stand up a bit more and your chances of winning are higher. (Phil personally used this tip to win 3 drawings at a conference in one day.)

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What have you learned as an entrepreneur? Do you have any great tips to share?