strategist, founder of brass check, a marketing agency that advised a variety of clients, including goo google. also the former director of marketing for american apparel and author of the latest book "ego is the enemy." so good to see you. >> thank you for having me. >> so important, right? we're entrepreneurs. and we're doing that because we think we have an idea. >> yes. >> and we hear all the time that you have to listen to your customer. i think it's harder for people. >> i think to make something where something didn't exist, that requires a little bit of ego, but that ego can also destroy the thing you made or undo the success you had. it's a balance. >> so you have to -- we talk about hiring people smarter than you, but it's more than that. hiring people smarter than you and listening to them. >> listening to them and people who are better or more successful than you. if you go way back, there's a philosopher who says one cannot learn that when they think they already know. if you think you're as smart as you know, you know everything, you're going to stop learning, stop getting the be