Brad D. Smith Quotes

Powerful Brad D. Smith for Daily Growth

About Brad D. Smith

Brad D. Smith is an acclaimed American author, businessman, and philanthropist, whose diverse career spans across various fields including technology, finance, and social entrepreneurship. Born in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, he grew up in a family that valued education and community service. His father, an airline pilot, and his mother, a teacher, instilled in him a sense of curiosity and responsibility from an early age. Smith earned his Bachelor's degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His academic background has been instrumental in shaping his writing style and approach to business. Smith began his professional journey at McKinsey & Company before joining American Express where he played key roles in several major initiatives. In 1996, he co-founded PayPal, serving as its Vice President of Marketing, a role that would later inspire him to write "The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, From the Freemasons to Facebook" (2017). In 2005, Smith joined Intuit Inc. as their President, where he led strategic growth initiatives before retiring in 2014. His second book, "Rise of the Reluctant Revolutionaries: How Hidden Heroes from Across the globe are uniting to fight terrorism" (2015), was inspired by his experiences as a member of The Trilateral Commission and his involvement in global affairs. Smith is also known for his philanthropic work, particularly with the Smith Family Foundation, which supports education, community development, and social entrepreneurship initiatives worldwide. His life and works reflect a deep commitment to understanding and navigating complex networks of power, both in business and society at large.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Innovation is not about thinking different; it's about acting different."

This quote by Brad D. Smith emphasizes that innovation is not just about having unique ideas or perspectives, but more importantly, it is about executing those ideas in ways that deviate from the norm. It highlights the importance of not only thinking creatively but also taking bold actions to implement those ideas, thus driving progress and change.


"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

This quote suggests that rather than trying to forecast or guess what the future holds, one should proactively shape it through their actions and decisions. It underscores the power of personal initiative, self-determination, and goal-oriented behavior in shaping one's own destiny. In essence, Brad D. Smith encourages readers to take charge of their lives and create the future they want for themselves.


"Success isn't a destination, it's a journey."

The quote "Success isn't a destination, it's a journey" by Brad D. Smith emphasizes that success is not an end point to be achieved but rather a continuous process or experience to be embraced. It encourages us to focus on the process of growth, learning, and self-improvement, as these are the real essence of what makes us successful. By adopting this mindset, we can find fulfillment in our pursuit of success and appreciate the value of each step along the way, not just the final outcome.


"Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another."

This quote by Brad D. Smith emphasizes that leadership transcends formal roles, hierarchies, or organizational structures. Instead, it is a profound connection between individuals where one person positively impacts the growth, development, or well-being of another. It highlights the importance of building meaningful relationships and fostering an environment of personal growth, empowerment, and positive change within communities and teams.


"The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them."

This quote signifies that one's potential for success or achievement is not bound by any external limitations, but rather by the extent of one's aspirations and their readiness to put in the necessary effort towards realizing those dreams. It encourages individuals to dream big, as there are no restrictions on what can be accomplished when coupled with hard work and determination.


I am a dichotomy of tastes. I'm big on water, and I do a protein drink in the morning, but then I eat off the kids' menu after that. So, there's only like six foods I like. I like quesadillas. I like hamburgers. I like sushi. I like pizza, PB&J, or breakfast any time of the day.

- Brad D. Smith

Big, Foods, Dichotomy, Tastes

Millennials, and the generations that follow, are shaping technology. This generation has grown up with computing in the palm of their hands. They are more socially and globally connected through mobile Internet devices than any prior generation. And they don't question; they just learn.

- Brad D. Smith

Hands, Palm, Through, Computing

The average small-business owner uses 18 apps to run their business every day, and if those applications don't allow data to flow seamlessly and they don't integrate, it's going to become a point of friction. It's going to prevent the small business from being successful.

- Brad D. Smith

Small, Average, Allow, Integrate

The best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.

- Brad D. Smith

Roof, Repair, Best Time, Shining

We are out-of-the-gates strong in fiscal 2015. We grew revenue 8% in the first quarter and exceeded our QuickBooks Online subscriber and our company financial targets.

- Brad D. Smith

Strong, Exceeded, Subscriber, Targets

I've always valued and encouraged teamwork, and that collaborative spirit of we versus I is core to Intuit's success. Innovation has been part of Intuit's DNA for nearly 30 years.

- Brad D. Smith

Innovation, Always, Been, Versus

I grew up in a small town in West Virginia called Kenova. It's the city where the plane crashed from Marshall University. I watched the mountain burn, and my cousins were the volunteer firemen. I was 6 years old at the time.

- Brad D. Smith

City, Small, Plane, Firemen

Millennials' tech and global savvy will make them instrumental in shaping our mobile future worldwide.

- Brad D. Smith

Will, Mobile, Tech, Savvy

Customer-driven innovation was at the core of Intuit's first product, 'Quicken,' and it continues to guide us as we look to solve new problems in areas like mobile payments. Products like Intuit 'GoPayment' and the IntuitPayment Network are helping small businesses get paid faster, keeping cash flow strong and their business healthy.

- Brad D. Smith

Strong, Small, Helping, Flow

Many small businesses are running entire businesses from a mobile phone.

- Brad D. Smith

Small, Phone, Running, Businesses

About 10 million people start a business each year, and about one out of two will make it. The average entrepreneur is often on his or her third startup.

- Brad D. Smith

Business, Year, Average, Startup

The world has shifted to the palm of our hand, or a tablet. We hadn't been investing in 'Quicken' that way.

- Brad D. Smith

World, Been, Tablet, Investing

The PC is becoming a truck. Everybody is using a tablet and a phone.

- Brad D. Smith

Everybody, PC, Using, Tablet

Usually when there are a lot of layoffs, like in 2008 and 2009, business creation tends to spike. But that didn't happen right away, partly because people trying to start a business couldn't get credit.

- Brad D. Smith

Layoffs, Away, Spike, Right Away

I used to walk around with a stick. My dad used to call me Moses. It's on a home video. He said, 'That kid would rather lead no one than follow anyone.' I had dogs following me in the neighborhood. I had neighborhood kids coming over.

- Brad D. Smith

Kid, Rather, Dad, Neighborhood

I was in martial arts starting at the age of 14, and I got my black belt by the time I was 18. Soon after, I was teaching an entire school, with about 150 students. It was unbelievably intense because of the self-awareness part of becoming a black belt.

- Brad D. Smith

Becoming, Part, By The Time, Martial Arts

I'd say the best way to train someone is to remember that you have two ears and one mouth, and use them in that ratio. That's hard to do, and ultimately what we've learned is how many false positives you get from listening to what someone says they're going to do instead of observing what they actually do.

- Brad D. Smith

Best, Use, Best Way, Observing

I've done a number of things in the spirit of employee motivation. I tend to be a storyteller and a student of history. I often tell stories of great battles, like the battle of Thermopylae, to inspire teams who face what appear to be insurmountable odds.

- Brad D. Smith

Motivation, Student, Tell, Battles

My dad worked for Nestle for 26 years and ended up being the mayor of our hometown. One of the lessons I learned from him was to never mistake kindness for weakness.

- Brad D. Smith

Mistake, Hometown, Mayor, Lessons

Intuit's mission, values, and culture of innovation set us apart as a great place to work. Our 8,000 employees are innovators and entrepreneurs that are inspired by the important work they do that is delighting customers and improving the financial lives of millions of people.

- Brad D. Smith

Financial, Great Place, Apart

We've been delivering cloud-based services for over a decade, with more than 30 million Intuit customers using offerings across a variety of desktop and mobile devices. The benefits are clear: online experiences are simply better for customer.

- Brad D. Smith

Decade, Benefits, Been, Desktop

The number one thing small business needs is to get more customers. Spend more time serving existing customers and getting new ones. The challenge for small business is knowing where customers are and reaching them effectively.

- Brad D. Smith

Small, Small Business, Customers

I have this famous joke that I use: Why was God able to create Heaven and Earth in seven days and seven nights? Because he didn't have installed customers and legacy technology to worry about.

- Brad D. Smith

Legacy, Worry, Famous, Customers

I tell people: 'Do what you love, but it can also be hard to know what you love early on. But when you think about it and you describe the options, which one gets you a little more excited?'

- Brad D. Smith

Love, Think, Which, Early

The ultimate proof of confidence for a small-business owner is, are they hiring employees?

- Brad D. Smith

Hiring, Ultimate, Owner, Employees

At Intuit, we've introduced concepts like unstructured time to enable individuals and small teams to be entrepreneurial and identify new processes or product ideas.

- Brad D. Smith

Small, New, Processes, Enable

Good intentions often get muddled with very complex execution. The last time the government tried to make taxes easier, it created a 1040 EZ form with a 52-page help booklet.

- Brad D. Smith

Execution, Last, Very, Easier

I didn't know I'd ever be able to love my second child like I love my first; she came out, and I was amazed I could love them both equally.

- Brad D. Smith

Love, Like, Could, To Love

I get into the office about 7 A.M., then I usually get out of the office a little after 7 P.M. I get home, I have dinner, then I spend a couple hours with my girls. I'm in bed about 9 P.M. That's the program!

- Brad D. Smith

Bed, Couple, About, Dinner

The computer has moved to the palm of our hands now.

- Brad D. Smith

Hands, Computer, Moved, Palm

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