2014 was quite a year for Wamda. We celebrated notable investments and acquisitions, we witnessed the launch of four big VC funds, we organized our last Mix N’ Mentor for the year, and most recently, we announced the launch of Wamda’s Traxn, a new program designed to connect startups with the right resources at leading corporates.

To end the year with some inspiration, we have chosen for you, dear entrepreneur, ten memorable quotes heard from entrepreneurs, mentors and investors.  

1- “You’re in the trenches; don’t expect your employees to die for you, if you’re not with them.” [Tweet this quote]

- Hervé Cuviliez, CEO and cofounder of Diwanee, a digital media company. 

2- “As you step out of college, you will be spending the rest of your life in a world of accelerated disruption.” [Tweet this quote]

- Fadi Ghandour, Wamda Chairman and founder of Aramex.

3- “I started, me by myself, found a great co-founder, got up to 95 people, and then it ended with me by myself again.” [Tweet this quote]

– Dan Stuart, cofounder of GoNabit, a group buying website acquired by LivingSocial before it shut down. 

4- “People tell you keep your job, start the company on the side. If I’m doing it on the side, then probably one of the reasons it fails is because I didn’t dedicate enough time to it.” [Tweet this quote]

– Omar Samra, founder of Wild Guanabana, an adventure travel company in Egypt. 

5- “Our youth no longer want handouts. They want to build their own futures and to have a fair chance to compete.” [Tweet this quote]

-Rabea Ataya, founder of Bayt.com, leading job website in the Middle East.

6- “When I go into weekends, I don’t want to lie to myself and say I want to get this and this done this weekend. I don’t want to answer emails at two in the morning, there’s nothing sustainable about that.” [Tweet this quote]

– Sohrab Jahanbani, cofounder of GoNabit.

7- “CEOs often don't think others can handle bad news or changes in plans. My experience tells me the opposite. Bring stuff out into the open, fast. At the very least you'll see who the champions in your team are.” [Tweet this quote] 

- Con O’Donnell, CEO at Hindawi Foundation for Education and Culture, and founder of Sarmady Communications, a company for mobile internet and apps innovation.

8- “Go and solve the garbage problem, go and solve the healthcare problem, go and solve the education problem, and by doing so you’re an entrepreneur, you’re doing something for the country, and you’re going to make tons of money.” [Tweet this quote]

 – Khaled Ismail, founder & Chairman of  Klangel and head of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at AUC. 

9- “Launching when your website is practically illegible and customer experience is just an afterthought is lazy rather than lean.” [Tweet this quote]

– Ranwa Halasa, angel investor and Deputy CEO and Head of Business Development at ICCCC, a provider of turnkey telecom services for mobile operators and system providers in the MENA. 

10- “I’m the first one in the office every morning. The only person who arrives before me is the guy to unlock the doors.” [Tweet this quote]

- Ahmed Khatib, founder of MarkaVIP