You become the people you surround yourself with. The same may be said for who you follow on Twitter…
For me, Twitter serves as the best news and educational platform social media has to offer. It allows me to stay connected with inspiring entrepreneurs that provide the motivation and creativity jolts I need from time to time. Their tweets also keep me ahead of quick moving trends that directly impact entrepreneurs/innovators. With that in mind, I want to share with you the top 5 people/feeds entrepreneurs should follow on Twitter.
Note: Some entrepreneurs use Twitter to toot their own horn or update everyone on their latest and greatest venture. Those types are not on my Top 5. I specifically chose 5 Twitter feeds to follow that provide, or link to, great value, education or inspiration – 140 characters or less of actionable information that you can take into the entrepreneurial trenches.
Top 5 Twitter Feeds for Entrepreneurs to Follow
@elonmusk (2.9 million followers) Despite running Tesla (market cap of $30 billion) and SpaceX, two gutsy and incredibly innovative ventures that have taken off in recent years (no pun intended), Musk still finds time to actively engage with the Twitter community and share his insights on innovation, energy and economic policy. Given the scope of his ambitious entrepreneurial projects (he also co-founded Paypal, by the way), you can’t help but feel inspired when following Musk’s tweets.
@zerohedge (294 thousand followers) Although the founder of Zero Hedge remains unknown, his/her publication does a hell of a job peeling back the layers in the world of finance, geopolitics and economics. For entrepreneurs looking to find out what is really going on in this world, and for those interested in spotting economic trends before they go mainstream, @zerohedge is for you. Following Zero Hedge will also give you a direct case study on how to build an enormously successful blog, and then expand it into a global finance hub. Zero Hedge hasn’t updated its site in probably near a decade, yet was rated one of the most valuable blogs on the web. The reason: consistently awesome content. If you’re an online entrepreneur, there is much to learn from Zero Hedge from a content strategy perspective – including how to write a great story no matter what the subject matter.
@Garyvee (1.1 million followers) I like to refer to Gary Vaynerchuk as an ‘extremist entrepreneur.’ He is the founder of WineLibrary.com and grew his family wine business into an online retailer that dominates his niche. He’s a self-taught wine expert, New York Times Best-selling Author, and successful public speaker. More importantly, the guy is a grinder. Follow his Twitter feed to get daily inspiration and, if you need it, a kick in the ass. Reading his content is akin to having an entrepreneurial spotter. Follow his posts and I bet you can’t help but want to put in that extra hour or two for your company in the middle of the night, even if you’re completely wiped. He routinely posts messages about work ethic and how to get to the next level. Gary is an inspirational entrepreneur who practices what he preaches.
@tferriss (1.2 million followers) Author of the highly-acclaimed ‘Four Hour Work Week’ and two other New York Times Bestsellers, Tim Ferris can be defined simply as interesting. He has a hack for just about anything to do with self-improvement. The guy interviews the crème de la crème of go-getters – from Navy SEALS to billionaires and celebrities. Tim Ferris provides his followers with sound ideas on improving productivity and exploring their creative side. He may be the most interesting person to follow on Twitter.
@rupermurdoch (672 thousand followers) Self-made media mogul who founded News Corp. As an entrepreneur who is fascinated with the business of media and content creation, I find Rupert intriguing. Although I don’t agree with all his views, the guy has a bold style. Despite being the target of many critics, likely for his political views, he unabashedly shares his opinions on economics and politics on Twitter, a platform he clearly enjoys given how often he tweets. Murdoch is worth following for any media or online entrepreneurs. After all, he’s the biggest media entrepreneur in the world.
Honorable Mentions
@EconBizFin (1.6 million followers) Not a person, but, nevertheless, an essential daily content provider in my life. You’ll probably see me retweet at least one post a day from this feed. The Economist is arguably the most diverse and unbiased business publication in the world. It covers every topic related to business and has a flair for covering emerging sectors in foreign lands. I find this to be one of the most educational accounts on Twitter. Highly recommend.
@Carl_C_Icahn (259 thousand followers) One of the premiere dealmakers in America. Arguably the world’s most successful and prominent activist investor, Carl remains unscripted and open about why he takes stakes in companies and avoids others. There is much to learn from this man on how to build a business that attracts investment. The main reason Carl didn’t make it on my Top 5 is because he’s not as active as I would like on Twitter.
@travisk (103 thousand followers) Rebel entrepreneur with very informative views on the ‘sharing economy’ and disruptive technologies. Travis Kalanick founded the ride sharing giant Uber, which is now valued at more than $50 billion. His aggressive style and intense focus on growth inspires me. Shame he’s not more active on Twitter.
@craigballantyne (18 thousand followers) Hugely successful online entrepreneur and fitness buff with very interesting insights on how to become a more disciplined and successful person. Craig Ballantyne shares his unique routines and philosophies on entrepreneurship, health and finance on Twitter.
There you have it. For all of you entrepreneurs who enjoy Twitter, start following these feeds for inspiration, education and to stay on top of the latest economic and innovative trends. You are who you follow…
Stay hungry,
Aaron
