Like with any industry, the best way to succeed in the technology sector is to study those that have been successful. Obviously not everyone who finds success is similar, but no matter how different they may seem, there are always a couple of underlying traits or qualities that they share. Before discussing what these traits are, the term “tech innovator” should be assigned a working definition in order to understand the types of people we are talking about. To help me create this definition and to pick out the traits innovators share, I enlisted the help of two knowledgeable people. The first was Frank Sentner, the Sole Proprietor of Sentwood Consulting. The second was Matt McCooe, the Chief Executive Officer of Connecticut Innovations. Both have years of experience in this area and would serve as valuable knowledge bases throughout this process.

When I asked Sentner what the term “tech innovator” meant to him, he pointed out some certain boxes that need to be checked. The first thing he clarified is that it could refer to a company or entrepreneur. He also touched upon how the innovation could refer to strictly the technological creation aspect, or it could refer to an innovation in the business model of an industry. The latter, Sentner mentioned, is often overlooked when discussing innovation. This brings up a crucial point when categorizing tech innovators. It is imperative to also look at who shifted the business model of a given industry. These men and women are sometimes overlooked, but they are the ones that affect change on everyone else in the industry. A good example of this is how Napster led the change in the music industry from hard copy products, to a digitally dominated industry. These kinds of tech innovators are just as important as the pure technological ones.

However, the pure technological innovators have become cultural touchstones that give the world something to aspire to. They are often seen as the ones who change the world. McCooe mentioned this when I asked him about the term “tech innovators”:

“I think of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk—visionaries who are wildly driven to create new products in markets that are struggling to change or don’t even exist yet. Tech innovators want to change the world, technology is their tool.”

An interesting point that McCooe brings up in this quote, is that tech is the tool for these people to accomplish their real goal of changing the world. The tech is crucial, but the real guiding light is change. This is what drives the people that McCooe mentioned above to innovate and create.

Now this leads us into the conversation of what tech innovators have in common. Tech innovators always seem to have a higher goal then just creating something that provides them consistent revenue. They want to change or shift an industry, or in some cases, the world. I think this quality helps them distance themselves from their competition because when you have a goal that is more than just financial, it gives you that extra incentive to push through the challenging times that tech innovation can bring. Having something to drive you to put in more hours or take a risk can be the difference between success and failure. Sentner talked about the idea of persistence and how it differs:

“As in any arena, persistence is vital. They don’t give up. Tech innovators are no different than innovators in any industry. They are willing to use all their resources to allow their dream and vision to come to fruition. Persistence is different than stubbornness though, you need to be persistent and flexible.”

It seems that having the innate drive inside of you to succeed is shared across the board by tech innovators. McCooe nicely summed up what this trait is, “The relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Other than persistence, another trait that was brought up was the ability to adapt or shift quickly. “You must be able to pivot quickly,” Sentner said, “Those who succeed are not afraid to alter their approach.” Learning from failure or adapting to additional information is essential for finding success. Like Sentner previously mentioned, there is a difference between persistence and stubbornness. Being able to admit when change is needed and quickly adapt can put you at an advantage in an industry going forward. Netflix is one company that shifted their plan massively. When they saw that streaming content was where home entertainment media was shifting, they changed their focus from the DVD mail service to their streaming platform. Being able to adapt and shift quickly allowed them to get a head start over other companies entering the media streaming industry.

After reaching out to both Frank Sentner and Matt McCooe, it seems possible to cherry-pick a few traits that “tech innovators” share. A higher purpose to drive you towards excellence, like changing the world, or making your dreams come true, seems to be a common theme. This leads persistence with the absence of ego-driven stubbornness. Finally, the ability to pivot quickly, which allows tech innovators to adapt to any situation. These traits, according to McCooe and Sentner, are found across the board with tech innovators.

Finally, I asked if they had any advice they would give to someone who strives to be mentioned among tech innovators. “Stick to your dream.” Sentner said, “Listen to sound advice and use it to empower your dream.” McCooe had similar thoughts:

“Be bold. Ignore the naysayers. Find passionate partners who will support your vision, people who will help you recognize the wrong paths you will inevitably go down so you keep making progress.”

Thanks to Frank Sentner of Sentwood Consulting and Matt McCooe of CT Innovations!