The most valuable lesson I learned in dealing with the ups and downs was to invest in my employees - to do all I could for them when the times were good.

Innovation is all about people. Innovation thrives when the population is diverse, accepting and willing to cooperate.

Entrepreneurship is like a computer game in which you have to master every level before achieving success. Startups repeatedly stumble and have to go back to the drawing board. The best way to skip some levels and to increase the odds of survival is to learn from others who have already played the game.

I used to have an obsession with building businesses and forgot about building health. I was focused on the destination instead of the journey. I caution you to not do the same.

In a sense, the music business and I haven't always been the best of bedfellows. Artists often have to fight their corner. Your music goes through these filters of record labels and media, and you're hoping you'll find someone who'll help you get your work into the world.

I started doing non-surf stuff like commercials, short films, and music videos and just started expanding my filmmaking that way. I started doing that more for a career: you know, it was paying the bills, and it was challenging. I was stimulated by it.

Otherwise, my whole career has just been flinging myself at whatever is most overdue first and letting everything else stack up.

As a child, I was lucky to have the support of my parents because starting a tennis career is a very expensive adventure.