Luck is important, but perseverance really does matter. Steve Case, former CEO and chairman of AOL, explains that in the 1990s, AOL seemed like an overnight sensation, coming out of nowhere. “We were a 10-year-in-the-making overnight sensation,” he quips. There were a lot of ups and downs before AOL became one of the hottest companies in the country, he says. His own experience really emphasizes a crucial point: if you really believe in the idea, figure out a way to stay in the game.
