Leah Busque

“Life is like the monkey bars: you have to let go to move forward. Once you make the decision to leap into entrepreneurship, be sure to loosen your grasp on old concepts so you can swing your way to new ones.”

“The excitement of being a Task Rabbit is that you can create your own businesses and become an entrepreneur. We're creating jobs for people in this economy. Some of the Task Rabbits are cashing out at $5,000 per month.”

“Since most startups operate at a break-neck pace, with a concept to prove or a product to launch within a rapidly shortening runway of financing, company culture often gets shoved aside. This is a big, big mistake: Nobody serious about their business should put culture in the corner.”

“Sprout's a really cool app for pregnant women. It shows you what your baby's development is in real time, so I find myself checking it quite often.”

“From my background in travel at HotWire and Expedia, the metrics that TaskRabbit is seeing are more than double at what I saw at both those companies.”

“TaskRabbit is really my first baby. So balancing the second child is something I've tackled, but I'm really passionate about what I do, and then I'm passionate about coming home and putting my baby to bed.”

“Whatever the future of social reputation online, I'm excited to dig in and help forge the path forward. Not only will embracing and enabling the growth of these reputation elements benefit my business, the consumer in me can barely control her excitement.”

“Learn to bet on yourself and have confidence in your own decisions. No one knows your business better than you.”

“Entrepreneurs have a natural inclination to go it alone. While this do-it-yourself spirit can help you move forward, adding an element of collaboration into the mix can make you unstoppable.”

“Swapping out the nine-to-five for a more agile, independent working life brings with it one other huge benefit - a channel for self-actualization.”

“There are plenty of things I wish I'd known when I decided to quit my position at IBM and work on the idea that later became TaskRabbit. Maybe that's why one of the things I cherish most about being a founder and CEO is the opportunity to offer advice to new entrepreneurs.”

“The TaskRabbit community provides thousands of individuals access to the kind of economy that puts them in charge of their own lives and income. TaskRabbit offers a new model of work, one that makes it possible for people to set their own schedules, establish their own rates, and use their talents and skills to earn a living on their own terms.”

“The Gmail app is definitely the app I use the most. I am always running from meeting to meeting, so it keeps me up-to-date with everything going on. I actually e-mail more often from my iPhone than my laptop, so having a nicely designed e-mail app is really important.”

“I've always been fascinated by what you can learn from looking into your DNA.”

“Traditional models of work only let us cross out the needs on the very bottom of the pyramid - basic sustenance. On the flipside, independent employment within the network of the new sharing economy addresses our needs for a sense of community and belonging, autonomy and respect, creativity and problem solving.”

“People with highly transferable skills may be specialists in certain areas, but they're also incredible generalists - something businesses that want to grow need.”

“Some people revel in getting their hands dirty. These are the people that make startups grow wildly. People with hustle also tend to be much more agile - they're the water that goes around the rock. These are the people you want around when everything goes wrong. They're also the people you want beside you when everything goes right.”

“As a small business or startup, one of the factors you should always consider when looking at a potential partnership is the incremental potential reach. Note that wider reach doesn't always mean a better partnership opportunity. Instead of sheer scale, take a look at which communities your potential partner can open up for you.”

“I am definitely a keep-it-clean type of person when it comes to e-mail. My 'important' folder on the Gmail app is constantly clean. When a new e-mail comes in to my important folder, I immediately look at it and determine what action item comes with it. The action item may not get done until later, but at least I know it's coming.”

“Surrounding yourself with people who are actively and enthusiastically working toward their best futures will keep you moving toward your own goals.”