Brewed Fresh Daily

"The most creative entrepreneurs spend less time than average networking with business colleagues who are friends and more time networking with a diverse group that includes acquaintances and strangers", says Martin Ruef, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. Entrepreneurs who spend more time with a diverse network of people are three times more likely to innovate than entrepreneurs stuck within a uniform network. Another discovery was that people tend to be more creative and innovative when they are new to an industry. "I found strong evidence to suggest that the longer entrepreneurs have been in the industry...the less innovative they are," says Ruef. "Veterans just don't come up with wacky or creative ideas that can really spark a new industry."