In Search of Superstars: Entrepreneur Marc Lore Discusses Top Talent, Risk, Startups

An audiene watches a virtual chat with Marc Lore

Several dozen students watched a virtual chat with Marc Lore at the Advanced Technologies Lab. (Photo/Jahan Ramezani)

Written by February 3, 2025

Serial entrepreneur Marc Lore said he can often identify the most promising employees by simply looking at their resumes to see how many places they’ve worked.

“Superstars don’t jump around,” he said. “When they get into a place, they prove themselves, and they stay there long enough to get promoted multiple times.”

Lore, founder of the Wonder Group and co-owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, recently spoke with Orfalea College of Business Dean Damon Fleming in a virtual chat. Dozens of students assembled at the Advanced Technologies Lab to watch the event that was streamed live on a projection screen.

Damon Fleming, dean of the Orfalea College of Business, holds a virtual chat from his office

Damon Fleming, dean of the Orfalea College of Business, chats with Marc Lore. During his virtual discussion, Fleming asked the entreprenuer a range of questions, with topics that included his business approach, what he looks for in talent and risk taking. (Photo/Pat Pemberton)

“I think the talk inspired students to know that they can build something from nothing the same way Marc Lore did,” said Logan Teixeira, an officer with the Financial Management Association, a student club.

Lore is the former president and CEO of Walmart eCommerce US, whose many startups have included the successful Jet.com and Diapers.com. His most recent venture, the Wonder Group, specializes in food delivery. But Lore might be best known as the owner of the NBA’s Timberwolves with former baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

His chat included biographical history (He was the first in his family to attend college), healthy life habits (He recommends getting plenty of sleep and staying hydrated), and advice for students.

According to a recent Forbes article, Generation Z employees have been known to job hop around  to climb the career ladder. Lore pushed back on this approach, saying employees shouldn’t just leave an organization for better pay.  Too many moves, he said, will lower the employee’s value and potential.

“When you leave, it’s got to be a big move,” he said. “Never lateral, certainly never down and not even slightly up.”

The best employees, he said, lift others and help the organization succeed. And he values those who have empathy.

“I think it’s important to give more than you take,” he said.

Even though he has excelled at startups, Lore cautioned that it’s not always pleasant work.

“I don’t want to sugarcoat entrepreneurship, because it sounds fun and glamorous, but I say it’s like eating glass every day and hoping you don’t get cut on the way down,” he said. “It’s really, really hard. You’re dealing with uncertainty every day.”

Startups, he added, often require quick decisions with limited information. And risk is part of the game.

“The status quo feels safe,” he said. But, “how many businesses have died because it feels safer not to take risks?”

Since most startups fail, risks are not really that risky, he added.

Dean Damon Fleming speaks with members of a student club in his office

Damon Fleming, dean of the Orfalea College of Business, speaks to Kyle Harned and Logan Teixeira, of the Financial Management Association student club, after the virtual chat with Marc Lore. (Photo/Pat Pemberton)

“So it’s up to the leaders to create a culture where people feel safe taking risks, and they’re judged on their inputs, not their outputs,” Lore said.

Lore’s talk, Fleming said, was engaging and enlightening.

“It is wonderful to have outstanding businesspeople like Marc share their story and experiences with students,” Fleming said. “Marc’s career is a fascinating and inspirational, and he provided genuine wisdom and practical tactics based on his deep business experience that is immediately actionable for students.”

After the chat, Teixeria said, several students gathered outside the ATL and discussed it.

A crowd of students watches a virtual chat with Marc Lore at Cal Poly

Students watch the virtual chat with Dean Fleming and Marc Lore. (Photo/Jahan Ramezani)

Among other things, Lore’s advice about risk stood out with him.

“Our students need to not be afraid to fail, but instead look at the expected value and overall outcomes of the decisions they make,” Teixeira said, reflecting some of Lore’s ethos.

While many employees might think they have to change jobs multiple times to advance, Lore’s discussion of “superstar” employees resonated with Teixeira.

“Although it is challenging to maintain a high level of dedication and performance, I think that sharing this hard truth with Cal Poly students is motivating in that they must maintain a commitment to excellence if they want to achieve a level of success that Marc Lore has built 30 years from now,” he said.

Finance student Oliver Skinner said he was surprised to hear some of the qualities Lore valued in employees, which contradicted common beliefs of what it takes to succeed in the business world.

“My biggest takeaway was at the end, he talked about how important empathy and kindness is within the workforce,” Skinner said.

 

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