Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Startup Wisdom From 3 Millionaire EntrepreneursWe've gathered advice from entrepreneurs who made millions on their first businesses and are applying that hard-won wisdom to their new startups.

ByDavid Port

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

He was the king of outdoor footwear, the sheik of the sandal-shoe. Yet in 2010, seven years after launchingKeen Footwear, Martin Keen was bent on leaving the shoe business to get his feet wet in an entirely new and unfamiliar market--office furniture.

Keen, who built Keen Footwear from a "simple little idea" into what is now a $300 million-a-year global empire, sold his stake in the privately held company. Two years later, in May 2012, he launched Focal Upright Furniture, envisioning it as a backlash against the cubicle-bound work environment, to which so many health issues have been linked. Why would Keen willingly go from a titan in one industry to a decided underdog in another?

This is a subscriber-only article. Join Entrepreneur+today for access

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

How One Couple Became Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Franchise Owners

When Matt and Anne Evers took the leap to buy a franchise, they never imagined they'd grow to 13 locations across two brands just eight years later.

Thought Leaders

So, You've Been Hacked. These are the Best Practices for Business Leaders Post-Hack

The lasting effects of a cyber incident can impact an organization's reputation, customers, workforce, databases and network architecture.

Business Process

This Department Might Be Holding Your Business Back. Here's How to Change That.

Human resources has become too often disconnected from the bottom line. Here's how to deftly integrate the two to address 21st-century challenges.

Data & Recovery

Store More With 20TB of Cloud Storage Space, Just $99.99 for Life

Keep more of your data organized in the cloud for a one-time fee.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

企业家是不能过度指狗万官方望太多a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.