As one of the first 10 employees at Amazon, you could say Tod Nelson is savvy to the ways of a successful startup.
During his time with the web-based retailer, the Colorado State University grad launched the Amazon.com music and video stores both in the States and Germany, was responsible for the integrity of the homepage and managed the first Amazon Distribution Center.
The first executive director of Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship recently took a timeout to talk about the new SLO HotHouse location becoming the entrepreneurial hub of the Central Coast, his affinity for crossword puzzles and why Mr. Orange would make a spot-on Mr. Nelson on the big screen.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Ha. We played this game at the first Amazon offsite. Jeff Bezos said Harrison Ford! I have to say Tim Roth. When the movie Reservoir Dogs came out, people literally stopped me on the street and asked if I was Mr. Orange. He’s English, but I think he could manage a nasally Western American accent.
What do you most admire in other people?
A rare combination of humility, empathy, intellect and calmness. I recently met a very successful CEO, and she had all those qualities. She somehow let me know she was going to meet President Obama later in the week without sounding like she was bragging. I don’t think I could pull that off!
What is your perfect Sunday?
Waking up late, hanging with my wife and daughter, and sipping coffee over the NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle. I don’t consider the day to have begun until I finish the crossword. A perfect Sunday would also involve getting together with a group of friends in Los Osos who are all Denver Bronco fans—I’m not sure how we found each other—and watching our beloved Broncs destroy the Raiders.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
When I was studying to get my MFA in creative writing, I read a book of short stories by Ron Carlson called “Plan B for the Middle Class.” It really influenced me. In all of the stories there were characters who’d been knocked off their career path or life plans for whatever reason—incompetence, bad luck, horrible judgement, even just plain loser-dom. Yet Carlson never regards them as failures or losers—in fact, as they rebuild their lives, he shows there can be real love, beauty and grace in Plan B. We don’t always end up being who we thought we’d be—and that’s ok! When I was young, I wanted to be Jacques Cousteau, then I wanted to be the next Great American Novelist. I am neither of those things, but I’m happy where I ended up. This notion is central to entrepreneurship. Virtually no startup ends up doing exactly what they originally set out to do and failure is an opportunity to get it right. Most companies aren’t even Plan B. They are Plan C, D, all the way to Z.
You’ve done some big things (launching Amazon music and video stores) that have taken you to cool places (Amazon.DE), what intrigues you about working with students and why did you choose SLO?
My grandparents lived in Los Osos, and ever since I was a kid I imagined myself living on the Central Coast. When my daughter was born 11 years ago, my wife and I decided to relocate to here from Seattle to be near family. It’s one of the best choices we’ve ever made. But I didn’t know anything about Cal Poly or the CIE or even much about the local entrepreneurial eco-system. One of the startups I was advising told me about Jon York, the founder of the CIE and he invited me to visit the classroom. I was immediately blown away by the students and have been involved ever since. I joke that I got my job here the same way I got my job at Amazon: I just showed up, started working and no one told me to go home.
The students I’ve encountered since first getting involved with the CIE really inspire me. They don’t seem motivated by the things that motivated my generation (and a couple after mine!): money and status. Instead they are trying to change the world and make it a better place. Watching how much hard work and passion they pour into their endeavors makes you want to do anything and everything you can to help them. I dare anyone to walk through the doors of the SLO HotHouse and not be inspired to roll up your sleeves and help out.
What advantages and exciting features does the new 15,000-square-foot Higuera Street SLO HotHouse location offer?
It’s an amazing space right in the heart of downtown and it will mature into the entrepreneurial hub of the Central Coast. We now have the space to expand the number of companies in the SLO HotHouse Accelerator program, increase the number of incubating companies, extend the reach and resources of the SBDC, host entrepreneurial programming and activities, and be the go-to spot for anyone who has the entrepreneurial spark, whether a Cal Poly student or a member of the community. We’ve only just moved into the first 1/3rd of the space, and the energy up there is incredible.