Rex Kurzius knows adversity well. At age 10 in 1984, he lost his father unexpectedly, plunging his family into financial hardship. They nearly became homeless until his grandparents moved from New Mexico to help. That Christmas, with no gifts and deep hopelessness, shaped his drive. "I don't ever want to feel like this again," he recalls at 46. Watching his father and grandfather work hard inspired self-reliance. "Entrepreneurship made sense with my work ethic and creativity."
Always hustling—selling toothpicks and cinnamon encyclopedias in high school—Kurzius earned his Eagle Scout badge, excelled academically, and secured a scholarship to SMU for a business degree. At 23, he launched Resulte, a recruiting firm. There, he learned: "Surround yourself with a team better than you. Empower them to understand and execute the vision."
He sold Resulte, then Timberhorn (an IT consulting firm), before founding Asset Panda in 2012. This Frisco, Texas-based innovator automates fixed asset tracking for businesses. Now with over 40 employees worldwide and millions of assets managed globally, early years tested him. Named Texas's fourth fastest-growing company by Inc. after three years, growth still lagged. Facing capital risks, he prepared to tell his wife—but his daughter asked, "Dad, how is Asset Panda?" (His kids named it and designed the panda logo.) "It's okay, honey, it couldn't be better," he replied, persevering.
"We waited for tech maturity—like iPhone 4 barcode scanning—and reinvented our model," he says. "Failure is fine; change course. Patience pays." Asset Panda aims to dominate like Facebook or LinkedIn in asset management, with no sale plans soon. Kurzius eyes a $1 billion net worth.
"Most think ideas work or fail outright," he advises young entrepreneurs. "Listen, adapt quickly, persist." His CEO essentials: the three Cs—clarity (shared mission and roles), communication (vision sharing, performance tracking, quarterly updates), and culture (empowerment embracing failure as success's path).
"Success demands risks, optimism, grit, hard work, mental toughness, and daily improvement—for family, employees, customers," says Kurzius. No magic; just that.
By Jeff Sullivan, Editorial Director of Panini America and columnist for Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine. Jeff Sullivan
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