Adrian Pittman: Learn and Adapt

By Bud on June 12, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (2)

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Since age 16, Adrian Pittman, Founder of Module, has tasked himself with learning one new skill per year. We discuss the impact of that strategy on growing his company.

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Filed under: Adrian Pittman | Ann Arbor, MI | Innovative Employment | Module

Adrian Pittman, founder of Module, started working for himself at age 16. In this conversation, Adrian and I discuss the advice he would give to his sixteen year old self wishing to enter his field of endeavor today. He cited two:

  • Expect the rules as you know them today to change.
  • As a result, you need to constantly consider yourself a student.

When I asked him how he learned himself, the answer was quite revelatory:

  • Each year after starting work, he set himself a goal of learning one new skill a year.
  • He chose the skills based on demand from his clients, thereby ensuring he stayed in touch with the marketplace.
  • As his business grew beyond a one-man show, he began to incorporate course work on managing people.

In conclusion, Adrian states that he was lucky to be put in a situation where he was forced to learn. But, the truth of the matter is that he himself made the decision to be in a situation where learning was essential. This strategy might be described as a blueprint for how to succeed in the knowledge-based economy.

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2 Comments

Megan Flewelling on November 22, 2009 4:52 PM
Wow, that is pretty impressive that fact that Adrian Pittman started working for himself at the age of 16. I really liked to two pieces of advice he would give to himself at the age of 16. The fact that he talked about the rules changing and to always consider yourself a student is important. You will never know everything you need to know, learning and adapting will be important to anyone's success. I remember being told, that the only thing that stays the same is that everything changes. Therefor being able to adapt to change is a good skill to have. I also really liked his goal of learning one new trait each year. Learning important skills that clients want will ensure they will stay around, and this will only make you a more desirable and give you a competitive advantage. Watching this video is really inspiring to me, knowing that if you are willing to put the time and effort into something, you can be successful. Megan Flewelling.
Kyle Miller on June 13, 2010 11:35 PM
It is very admirable to see that Adrian Pittman, the founder of Module, started the company when he was 16 years old. The company focuses on three of the following areas of technology: strategy, project management, and development. Adrian gives great advice for someone that was in his position at the age of 16. He says that it is important to realize that the rules of life will change during the period of time. Because of this a flexible mentality is needed. Those that are able to adapt to everything are the ones that will be successful. It is easy to see that Pittman has credibility. He speaks clearly and gives sound advice that makes sense to young entrepreneurs. His advice comes from personal experience, and it is part of the reason why he is successful. Pittman notes that an entrepreneur should look at his or her life as being a student. There is always something to learn. A hopeful entrepreneur can never stop learning. He states that he had a rule of adding one new skill every year. The skill to be chosen would come from client trends. This enabled Pittman, and can enable any entrepreneur to continue learning. Those that start as a single-person operation need to know how to take care of every aspect of the business. Only until the business grows can one rely on others to take care of tasks within the company. Some people are put into situations where they can learn and grow as they please; Pittman was forced to learn. This shows that being forced to learn can be very profitable. He was put into a situation where he had to adapt or not survive; he became stronger from it. He proved to himself that he could handle the pressure. Pittman’s story provides inspiration and motivation to any young entrepreneur out there. He paved the way for others to follow. He showed that learning and adapting to the environment can be done successfully. His work and admirable and he has been rewarded for it. Thank you, Kyle Miller

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