David Ashley Morrison

TEACHING & LEARNING

Opening the Doors to Private Equity

OUTREACH
Wharton West: Back to School

Q&A with The Newly Appointed Director of The Wharton Small Business Development Center

Faces of Wharton Entrepreneurship

RESEARCH
Inside The "War Room"

Tracking Digital Transformation

He began starting companies as a first grader and is still going strong. Meet Wharton alumnus David Ashley Morrison, founder of TWENTYSOMETHING™ INC.

Personal Information

David Ashley Morrison, President/Founder, TWENTYSOMETHING™ INC.

Company description: The world’s first marketing consultancy to focus exclusively on young adults. TWENTYSOMETHING™ INC.’s mission statement is to help Fortune 500 clients (and their agencies) maximize decision-making through an intimate, "real time" understanding of today’s 15-35 year olds. Formally incorporated in 1991. Website: www.twentysomething.com.

Education: MBA - Wharton (Individualized Major: "Market Strategy & Consumer Behavior")

Primary place of residence: Philadelphia’s "Main Line"

It would surprise people that I….: Am an avid motorcyclist that has occasionally hit speeds in excess of 120 mph (under minimized risk situations). While a BMW K1 can go much faster, my pulse cannot! People assume there’s an adrenaline rush, which is sometimes true, but the real attraction is the sense of absolute serenity derived from a singular focus.

P.O.V. (Point of View)

I became an entrepreneur because…: I am a die-hard individualist/visionary that has been creating companies ever since I can remember. (My first venture as a first grader was creating a pencil and eraser exchange much to my teacher’s dismay.) Truth be told, I didn’t "become" an entrepreneur… I was programmed from birth as the Myers-Briggs test confirmed in grad school. (My ENTP score was off the charts!) I still have the print-out results that describe ENTPs as "innovative, individualistic, versatile, analytical, and attracted to entrepreneurial ideas." The accuracy is almost eerie.

Best way to respond to criticism and doubters: Recognize that the role of devil’s advocate is priceless; listen to rational critique and incorporate key insights to make your business strategy and implementation deadlier than ever. Don’t ever be dragged down by criticism, but let it help you cover all of the proverbial bases and challenge you to raise the performance bar even higher.

Best definition of a successful entrepreneur: An incurable perfectionist with creativity and drive whose goal is to create true value (and impact) while aligning passion with vision.

Most challenging part of your job: Not working on weekends and not calling the office while on vacation

Biggest impact of the Wharton School: As an entrepreneur, Wharton was my company’s first client back in 1991. It quickly led to work with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as Apple Computer, thereby providing powerful credentials for a start-up consultancy. As a grad, Wharton’s biggest impact was expanding my business "tool box" to add even greater value to my clients and to enhance my firm’s competitive advantage.

Best memory of your Wharton days. Small intimate meals with friends and their spouses.

Close calls

How you started your business: The roots of my business go back to several ventures I created and ran concurrently while in college. As a 23-year-old, I formally incorporated my young adult marketing consultancy. Based on initial feedback to my business model, I decided to position my greatest "perceived" weakness (my age) into a positive point-of-difference. I coined the term Peer Marketing™ to convey how my natural affinity to other young adults allowed me to help a firm more deeply understand the motivations/needs of 15-34 year old consumers and to craft strategies, product development, and communications accordingly. Suddenly, the unprecedented concept of a 23-year-old marketing consultant for Fortune 500 companies made perfectly good sense.

Pivotal moment in growing your business: Landing Wharton as my firm’s first client (they called us, so it was completely unexpected). The ensuing studies quickly led to word-of-mouth recommendations at Apple Computer and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thanks to Wharton, we had an Ivy League school, a state of the union, and a leading consumer electronics maker on the client roster within a matter of months.

Most interesting non-entrepreneurial job offer you've declined: The Wharton School, NFL, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Mazda

Biggest surprise you encountered growing your business: How absolutely delightful it is working with a giant bullmastiff and a yellow Labrador snoring at your feet. Another big surprise is that, after 11 years, work continues to be an extension of who I am since it’s my world and my rules: I am the artist and my company is my craft. While owning a business can occasionally lead to lost weekends and some sleepless nights, I wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for the world.

Most difficult decision you're glad you made: Deciding to attend Wharton full-time AND continue to run my company full-time. (Did I mention that I was also commuting from my house in the ‘burbs?) It was a REALLY long two years!

Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur

Favorite Web site: msnbc.com (entrepreneurs shouldn’t live in a bubble); hoovers.com, agencycompile.com, the American Marketing Association’s marketingpower.com.

Book that most influenced your thinking: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (reread the book at least once a year for continued inspiration)

Favorite activity outside of business: barefoot travel (e.g., "full cultural immersion"), car shows, motorcycling

Goal still pursuing: Professionally, I’m on a crusade to demonstrate that a more compassionate business environment can actually increase productivity, employee loyalty, and profitability. Personally, hand-building a waterfront cottage in the Caribbean with my wife.

Person most influential to your success: My wife because of her patience, support, intellect, humor, adventuresome spirit, and warmth.

Person you most admire: A man I met only once (at my brother-in-law’s wedding) who had been in a horrible automobile accident. He was given last rites at the hospital four times the night he arrived. The doctors said that he wouldn’t survive. He did. They said that he would never come out of his coma. He did. They said he would never talk again. He did. They said he would never walk again. He did. They said he would never be able to finish college because of his severe brain injuries which permanently affected his motor skills. He did. If Garth can persevere against the greatest obstacles that life has to offer (and see the very best in the world along every step of the way), so can I. So can everyone. There are no excuses.

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