Investor Wayne Kimmel doesn’t think memeing himself is silly

Investor Wayne Kimmel doesn’t think memeing himself is silly

Technical.ly Philly by Roberto Torres

Our favorite one-liners from the “Gospel of Wayne Kimmel.”

Have you been following Wayne Kimmel on Twitter? Because, oh boy, we have.

The managing partner of Philly-based VC firm SeventySix Capital has, for some time now, been using the social network to blast out rather curious memes of sorts, featuring phrases from his latest book, Six Degrees of Wayne Kimmel.

In the book, he refers to the one-liners as, no joke, “The Gospel according to Wayne Kimmel.” They’re meant to guide wayward entrepreneurs and ensure that, they, too, “network their way to success.”

According to the book’s description on Amazon, the book shares “practical secrets to his success while providing intimate glimpses behind the scenes of nail-biting, high-stakes business deals.”

Before we go on, here’s a quick roundup of our favorite ones for context.

Some are a throwback to his time as “a 29-year-old law school graduate with no connections”:

Others are rather enigmatic references to the world of sports (Kimmel’s firm invested in Whistle Sports, the company behind those mesmerizing Dude Perfect videos.)

Some are quick-and-dirty, two-word calls to action:

Some sound like your mom and dad’s advice from back in the day:

While others just may make you let off a wry chuckle:

Or two:

Or three:

At the end of last year, we asked Kimmel if he thought quoting himself was a tad … silly? His short answer was no, but he had more to say:

“Look, for me this is an opportunity to give back to other people and help them be successful,” said Kimmel. “There are things that I’ve been able to do in my career in helping and working with other entrepreneurs that I’ve shared these tidbits and ideas that have been helpful not only to me but to others.”

“I love birthdays!” was our favorite quote so we asked Kimmel about it.

“You gotta read the book! That’s a very specific tip on how to build a relationship with somebody,” said Kimmel. “Most mentors and professors say ‘Go network,’ but in business it’s not about contacts but about relationships. Birthdays are a good way to check in on somebody once a year to see what they’re up to.”

According to Kimmel, social media has been the best platform for these thoughts across a broader net because it piques the interest of readers. “These sayings have way deeper meaning,” said Kimmel.

It’s of note that sharing these thoughts appears to be a fair part of Kimmel’s day job. Rarely does a week go by where he’s not spotted before an audience sharing advice. For example, on Monday April 10, see him at the Community College of Philadelphia, talking diversity and civility. Just last week he was at Wilmington’s The Mill talking entrepreneurship and innovation.

Here he is stumping for entrepreneurship in the face of naysayers:

You heard it here first, folks. (Er, or maybe second, if you’re a Kimmel follower.) Always stay in the mix.

© SeventySix Capital