David Cancel is a serial entrepreneur living in Boston, US. He is currently CEO at Performable which he founded in September  2009. Performable is an online platform that helps you convert more of your website visitors into customers, by providing detailed customer analytics.

Davids previous ventures include founding Ghostery (later acquired), Lookery, & Compete Inc. (later acquired) each of his companies have been based around the base of using data to enhance marketing capabilities. He is also on the advisory boards of Visible Measures, Sonian Networks, Yottaa and Shareaholic .

David spent his younger years growing up in Queens, NY, to a Puerto Rican father and Ecuadorian mother. He attributes much of his entrepreneurial spirit from his parents who both immigrated from from there respective countries of origin and where thrust into entrepreneurship out of necessity.

Growing up around that mentality influenced David later in his life. While attending college David held many full time positions as well. This had a negative impact on his college life, but it led him to realise that this was not the life he wanted. He didn't like working for someone else and he is not the only one, most entrepreneurs feel the same way.

David is also an active speaker and networker because he is passionate about meeting and learning from other entrepreneurs who he finds inspirational. It is not to enhance his business in any way, and this is the reason for networking events learning and contributing to a community of like minded individuals.

David loves making something from nothing and so starting his own business from nothing was inevitable.

"There are two types of people, those that are entrepreneurs and those that aren’t. Entrepreneurs share a mental flaw, they cannot help but to start businesses, you either have this genetic flaw or you don’t," explains David. "There are much easier ways to make money then to be an entrepreneur, so my advice is to pursue those opportunities if you cannot convince yourself to take the leap."

As an angel investor David is also out there searching for his next investment but he's not interested in 'macro trends' or anything 'cutting edge,' no he is looking for ideas that solve a real customer problem.

"The only reason to start a business is to solve a customers pain and to make their lives a little bit better. Ideas are worthless, go solve a real customer pain," says David.

So there you go, solve a real customer pain! Go on then, do it now.

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