Name:
Geoff Wilson
Birthdate:
November 26, 1978
Where were you born?
Sarasota, Florida
What are your community activities? (church or faith-based involvement, local, regional and national professional organizations, non-profits, etc)
Most of my community activity is focused on mentoring young entrepreneurs. Each year I mentor several young entrepreneurs through the University of Florida’s Center for Entrepreneurship and other local entrepreneurship groups. I also speak regularly at UF and for local startup groups.
List any awards you have won for community service:
I won the Clark Butler Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which is partially based on service.
What is your definition of success?
Fulfilling an ambitious vision with great people by my side.
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
When my team accomplishes something great without me being involved.
How do you exemplify the spirit of a Forty Under 40 professional?
I want to help put Gainesville on the national map. The tech community here has grown impressively in the past few years and I want to be part of the group that keeps that going.
Businessperson who has most inspired you:
Joe Cirulli, Rich Blaser and all of the members of the local Vistage group.
Best advise ever received:
Always keep educating yourself.
Greatest professional challenge:
Switching the mindset from what I can achieve to what the team can achieve and delegating accordingly.
First job:
Opened a kiosk in a Sarasota mall in high school selling computers and software.
What color crayon would you be? Why?
Sky blue, because it’s limitless and a nice color.
Favorite after-work drink:
Enjoying red wine with my wife always makes a tough day better.
If I had a magic wand, I’d:
Make all the sick kids in the world better. I have a healthy two year old and I can’t even fathom what it would be like to have him contract a serious disease.
What is your favorite Gadget?
Yammer app on my iPhone – it’s an internal social network for our company.
How long have you been in Gainesville?
Since I started a freshman at UF in 1996.
What do you love most about Gainesville/Alachua County?
It’s home to the Gators – during football season, everyone comes to visit us.
Three things people would be surprised to know about you:
I was an anchor on the UF campus news in 2000, where I met my wife (she was the tape editor), and Erin Andrews was my co-anchor.
I have seen every Gator football and basketball national championship in person.
I have also seen Gator football opponents tear down the goalposts when they upset us at their stadium 10 times.
Advice you would give a younger you:
Read more and seek more advice from others.