Brad D. Smith

“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.”

“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.”

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

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

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

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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?'”

“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.”

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

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

“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.”

“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.”