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Top 100 Eric Ries Quotes (2025 Update)
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Eric Ries Quote: “Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. Failure is an essential part of entrepreneurship. If you work hard, you can get an ‘A’ pretty much guaranteed, but in entrepreneurship, that’s not how it works.”

51. “Our educational system is not preparing people for the 21st Century. Failure is an essential part of entrepreneurship. If you work hard, you can get an ‘A’ pretty much guaranteed, but in entrepreneurship, that’s not how it works.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The way forward is to learn to see every startup in any industry as a grand experiment.”

52. “The way forward is to learn to see every startup in any industry as a grand experiment.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Except in very narrow cases, where there’s breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can’t out iterate someone who is trying to copy you, you’re toast anyway.”

53. “Except in very narrow cases, where there’s breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can’t out iterate someone who is trying to copy you, you’re toast anyway.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Only 5 percent of entrepreneurship is the big idea, the business model, the whiteboard strategizing, and the splitting up of the spoils. The other 95 percent is the gritty work that is measured by innovation accounting: product prioritization decisions, deciding which customers to target or listen to, and having the courage to subject a grand vision to constant testing and feedback.”

54. “Only 5 percent of entrepreneurship is the big idea, the business model, the whiteboard strategizing, and the splitting up of the spoils. The other 95 percent is the gritty work that is measured by innovation accounting: product prioritization decisions, deciding which customers to target or listen to, and having the courage to subject a grand vision to constant testing and feedback.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Just as scientific experimentation is informed by theory, startup experimentation is guided by the startup’s vision. The goal of every startup experiment is to discover how to build a sustainable business around that vision.”

55. “Just as scientific experimentation is informed by theory, startup experimentation is guided by the startup’s vision. The goal of every startup experiment is to discover how to build a sustainable business around that vision.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The grim reality is that most start-ups fail. Most new products are not successful. Yet the story of perseverance, creative genius, and hard work persists.”

56. “The grim reality is that most start-ups fail. Most new products are not successful. Yet the story of perseverance, creative genius, and hard work persists.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Startups exist not just to make stuff, make money, or even serve customers. They exist to learn how to build a sustainable business. This.”

57. “Startups exist not just to make stuff, make money, or even serve customers. They exist to learn how to build a sustainable business. This.”

Eric Ries Quote: “As an entrepreneur, I knew that if my company failed, I could always try again. So I often felt that the only real risk of true financial ruin came from the possibility of a serious illness that either exceeded my insurance plans lifetime limits, or was not covered due to rescission.”

58. “As an entrepreneur, I knew that if my company failed, I could always try again. So I often felt that the only real risk of true financial ruin came from the possibility of a serious illness that either exceeded my insurance plans lifetime limits, or was not covered due to rescission.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Ask most entrepreneurs who have decided to pivot and they will tell you that they wish they had made the decision sooner.”

59. “Ask most entrepreneurs who have decided to pivot and they will tell you that they wish they had made the decision sooner.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The common tendency of product development is to skip straight to the fourth question and build a solution before confirming that customers have the problem.”

60. “The common tendency of product development is to skip straight to the fourth question and build a solution before confirming that customers have the problem.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build – the thing customers want and will pay for – as quickly as possible.”

61. “The goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build – the thing customers want and will pay for – as quickly as possible.”

Eric Ries Quote: “After more than ten years as an entrepreneur, I came to reject that line of thinking. I have learned from both my own successes and failures and those of many others that it’s the boring stuff that matters the most. Startup success is not a consequence of good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Startup success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”

62. “After more than ten years as an entrepreneur, I came to reject that line of thinking. I have learned from both my own successes and failures and those of many others that it’s the boring stuff that matters the most. Startup success is not a consequence of good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Startup success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The big question of our time is not Can it be built? but Should it be built? This places us in an unusual historical moment: our future prosperity depends on the quality of our collective imaginations.”

63. “The big question of our time is not Can it be built? but Should it be built? This places us in an unusual historical moment: our future prosperity depends on the quality of our collective imaginations.”

Eric Ries Quote: “At IMVU, the cost of customer acquisition through our five-dollar-a-day AdWords campaign was less than twenty-five cents. Our revenue from those same customers was more than a dollar.”

64. “At IMVU, the cost of customer acquisition through our five-dollar-a-day AdWords campaign was less than twenty-five cents. Our revenue from those same customers was more than a dollar.”

Eric Ries Quote: “People are accustomed to thinking of accounting as dry and boring, a necessary evil used primarily to prepare financial reports and survive audits, but that is because accounting is something that has become taken for granted.”

65. “People are accustomed to thinking of accounting as dry and boring, a necessary evil used primarily to prepare financial reports and survive audits, but that is because accounting is something that has become taken for granted.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The one envelope at a time approach is called “single-piece flow.”

66. “The one envelope at a time approach is called “single-piece flow.”

Eric Ries Quote: “What differentiates the success stories from the failures is that the successful entrepreneurs had the foresight, the ability, and the tools to discover which parts of their plans were working brilliantly and which were misguided, and adapt their strategies accordingly.”

67. “What differentiates the success stories from the failures is that the successful entrepreneurs had the foresight, the ability, and the tools to discover which parts of their plans were working brilliantly and which were misguided, and adapt their strategies accordingly.”

Eric Ries Quote: “When blame inevitably arises, the most senior people in the room should repeat this mantra: if a mistake happens, shame on us for making it so easy to make that mistake.”

68. “When blame inevitably arises, the most senior people in the room should repeat this mantra: if a mistake happens, shame on us for making it so easy to make that mistake.”

Eric Ries Quote: “When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created Apple computer in a garage in Palo Alto, it heralded the beginning of the PC revolution that ultimately dealt a death-blow to dozens of older companies.”

69. “When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created Apple computer in a garage in Palo Alto, it heralded the beginning of the PC revolution that ultimately dealt a death-blow to dozens of older companies.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Start-up success is not a consequence of good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”

70. “Start-up success is not a consequence of good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.”

Eric Ries Quote: “In my Toyota interviews, when I asked what distinguishes the Toyota Way from other management approaches, the most common first response was genchi gembutsu – whether I was in manufacturing, product development, sales, distribution, or public affairs. You cannot be sure you really understand any part of any business problem unless you go and see for yourself firsthand. It is unacceptable to take anything for granted or to rely on the reports of others.”

71. “In my Toyota interviews, when I asked what distinguishes the Toyota Way from other management approaches, the most common first response was genchi gembutsu – whether I was in manufacturing, product development, sales, distribution, or public affairs. You cannot be sure you really understand any part of any business problem unless you go and see for yourself firsthand. It is unacceptable to take anything for granted or to rely on the reports of others.”

Eric Ries Quote: “It doesn’t matter if you call it a boom or a bubble. The startup business moves in cycles, and what goes up will eventually come down.”

72. “It doesn’t matter if you call it a boom or a bubble. The startup business moves in cycles, and what goes up will eventually come down.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Peter Drucker said, “There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.”2.”

73. “Peter Drucker said, “There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all.”2.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The point is not to find the average customer but to find early adopters: the customers who feel the need for the product most acutely. Those customers tend to be more forgiving of mistakes and are especially eager to give feedback.”

74. “The point is not to find the average customer but to find early adopters: the customers who feel the need for the product most acutely. Those customers tend to be more forgiving of mistakes and are especially eager to give feedback.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The Lean Startup has evolved into a movement that is having a significant impact on how companies are built, funded and scaled.”

75. “The Lean Startup has evolved into a movement that is having a significant impact on how companies are built, funded and scaled.”

Eric Ries Quote: “A head start is rarely large enough to matter, and time spent in stealth mode-away from customers-is unlikely to provide a head start. The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”

76. “A head start is rarely large enough to matter, and time spent in stealth mode-away from customers-is unlikely to provide a head start. The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Start-ups make so many mistakes that the challenge to identify the root cause of a failure is tough. But believing in your own plan is probably the worst.”

77. “Start-ups make so many mistakes that the challenge to identify the root cause of a failure is tough. But believing in your own plan is probably the worst.”

Eric Ries Quote: “I was finally ready to turn to the last resort: talking to customers. Armed.”

78. “I was finally ready to turn to the last resort: talking to customers. Armed.”

Eric Ries Quote: “This is an important rule: a good design is one that changes customer behavior for the better.”

79. “This is an important rule: a good design is one that changes customer behavior for the better.”

Eric Ries Quote: “I believe for the first time in history, entrepreneurship is now a viable career.”

80. “I believe for the first time in history, entrepreneurship is now a viable career.”

Eric Ries Quote: “You know how people always talk about how vision is the key to entrepreneurship and perseverance and really seeing what other people don’t see? We can actually redeem a fair amount of that folk wisdom.”

81. “You know how people always talk about how vision is the key to entrepreneurship and perseverance and really seeing what other people don’t see? We can actually redeem a fair amount of that folk wisdom.”

Eric Ries Quote: “At IMVU, we opened up our board meetings to the whole company.”

82. “At IMVU, we opened up our board meetings to the whole company.”

Eric Ries Quote: “They will ask to go back to the old way of working, in which they had the opportunity to “stay efficient” by working in larger batches and passing work between departments.”

83. “They will ask to go back to the old way of working, in which they had the opportunity to “stay efficient” by working in larger batches and passing work between departments.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Most phenomenal startup teams create businesses that ultimately fail. Why? They built something that nobody wanted.”

84. “Most phenomenal startup teams create businesses that ultimately fail. Why? They built something that nobody wanted.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Entrepreneurs always pitch their idea as ‘the X of Y,’ so this is going to be ‘the Microsoft of food.’ And yet disruptive innovations usually don’t have that character. Most of the time, if something seems like a good idea, it probably isn’t.”

85. “Entrepreneurs always pitch their idea as ‘the X of Y,’ so this is going to be ‘the Microsoft of food.’ And yet disruptive innovations usually don’t have that character. Most of the time, if something seems like a good idea, it probably isn’t.”

Eric Ries Quote: “We need to reengineer companies to focus on figuring out who the customer is, what’s the market and what kind of product you should build.”

86. “We need to reengineer companies to focus on figuring out who the customer is, what’s the market and what kind of product you should build.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Do consumers recognize that they have the problem you are trying to solve? 2. If there was a solution, would they buy it? 3. Would they buy it from us? 4. Can we build a solution for that problem?”

87. “Do consumers recognize that they have the problem you are trying to solve? 2. If there was a solution, would they buy it? 3. Would they buy it from us? 4. Can we build a solution for that problem?”

Eric Ries Quote: “If you can’t out iterate someone who is trying to copy you, you’re toast anyway.”

88. “If you can’t out iterate someone who is trying to copy you, you’re toast anyway.”

Eric Ries Quote: “If a competitor can outexecute a startup once the idea is known, the startup is doomed anyway. The reason to build a new team to pursue an idea is that you believe you can accelerate through the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop faster than anyone else can.”

89. “If a competitor can outexecute a startup once the idea is known, the startup is doomed anyway. The reason to build a new team to pursue an idea is that you believe you can accelerate through the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop faster than anyone else can.”

Eric Ries Quote: “The United States is locked in a new arms race for that most precious resource – the future entrepreneurs upon whom economic growth depends. Substantial research shows that immigrants play a key role in American job creation.”

90. “The United States is locked in a new arms race for that most precious resource – the future entrepreneurs upon whom economic growth depends. Substantial research shows that immigrants play a key role in American job creation.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Entrepreneurs can’t forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan – and on the brink of success.”

91. “Entrepreneurs can’t forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan – and on the brink of success.”

Eric Ries Quote: “You can’t take learning to the bank; you can’t spend it or invest it.”

92. “You can’t take learning to the bank; you can’t spend it or invest it.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Most companies are busy making their products worse, not better. Updating is almost always a disaster.”

93. “Most companies are busy making their products worse, not better. Updating is almost always a disaster.”

Eric Ries Quote: “We do everything wrong: instead of spending years perfecting our technology, we build a minimum viable product, an early product that is terrible, full of bugs and crash-your-computer-yes-really stability problems. Then we ship it to customers way before it’s ready. And we charge money for it. After securing initial customers, we change the product constantly – much too fast by traditional standards – shipping new versions of our product dozens of times every single day.”

94. “We do everything wrong: instead of spending years perfecting our technology, we build a minimum viable product, an early product that is terrible, full of bugs and crash-your-computer-yes-really stability problems. Then we ship it to customers way before it’s ready. And we charge money for it. After securing initial customers, we change the product constantly – much too fast by traditional standards – shipping new versions of our product dozens of times every single day.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Thus, the right way to think about the product development process in a Lean Startup is that it is responding to pull requests in the form of experiments that need to be run.”

95. “Thus, the right way to think about the product development process in a Lean Startup is that it is responding to pull requests in the form of experiments that need to be run.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Vanity metrics wreak havoc because they prey on a weakness of the human mind.”

96. “Vanity metrics wreak havoc because they prey on a weakness of the human mind.”

Eric Ries Quote: “Toyota discovered that small batches made their factories more efficient. In contrast, in the Lean Startup the goal is not to produce more stuff efficiently. It is to-as quickly as possible-learn how to build a sustainable business.”

97. “Toyota discovered that small batches made their factories more efficient. In contrast, in the Lean Startup the goal is not to produce more stuff efficiently. It is to-as quickly as possible-learn how to build a sustainable business.”

Eric Ries Quote: “By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.”

98. “By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.”

Eric Ries Quote: “It is insufficient to exhort workers to try harder. Our current problems are caused by trying too hard – at the wrong things.”

99. “It is insufficient to exhort workers to try harder. Our current problems are caused by trying too hard – at the wrong things.”

Eric Ries Quote: “I call this building an adaptive organization, one that automatically adjusts its process and performance to current conditions.”

100. “I call this building an adaptive organization, one that automatically adjusts its process and performance to current conditions.”

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