‘Shark Tank’ Star Daniel Lubetzky Presented a Commencement Address at UC Berkeley on the Four Superpowers of Youth

Youth is a mental state. Upon implementation in a corporate setting, observe its capacity to revolutionize the surrounding environment.

Daniel Lubetzky. Image: berkeleyinspire

Daniel Lubetzky dominates a room with inexhaustible energy, unwavering determination, and a distinctive fixation on bridge-building. As a Jewish Mexican sprung from Holocaust survivors, his existence epitomizes the convergence of persistence and sensitivity. During UC Berkeley's 2025 commencement, in a setting renowned for civil discourse and against a backdrop of global opposition to fundamental rights, Lubetzky reflected the realities to the graduates. He identified four "superpowers of youth" that entrepreneurs may leverage to achieve success in business and contribute to a better world.

1. Grit: your “extra battery”

“Grit entails rising earlier and remaining awake later to pursue your aspirations,” stated Lubetzky. He characterized it as "arduous labor, that can-do spirit..." an additional battery, perseverance, unwavering determination.

Whether your team is refining a prototype at midnight or you are making 100 cold calls during a period of stagnation, it is essential to discover that additional motivation. Grit is the unforeseen vigor you uncover when you are in a state of flow, completely immersed in your endeavors. There exists both valor and a feeling of romanticism in confronting that challenge.

Empathy insight: Consider how resilience manifests in your leadership approach. In which situations could incessant effort jeopardize your team's well-being? In which areas could increased perseverance yield unexpected outcomes? Organize a monthly "grit check" for your team to address a challenging topic and pledge to one minor, quantifiable enhancement.

2. Audacity coupled with contemplation

Lubetzky recounts an anecdote of a mentor from his adolescence who illuminated the vastness of his inherent audacity. He informed the gathering, “The generation that will dismantle the chains of hatred is present.” He stated, “Pursue action with courage, yet complement it with introspection.” This is the method by which you will discover and realize your aspirations.

Startups get unicorn status by undertaking audacious investments. Envisioning unprecedented worlds and solutions and actualizing them through iterative beta testing. Confronting failure is essential for establishing a successful firm; entrepreneurship requires audacity. However, without taking a moment to inquire, "What astonished me?" “Where did I exceed my limits?” you jeopardize repeating errors.

Empathy insight: Harness your audacity by synchronizing business objectives with a greater mission. Lubetzky’s Kind Bars markets snack foods with the mission to "be a force for kindness and create a better world, one snack and one act at a time." The clarity of purpose facilitates collective contemplation and assists teams in navigating challenging situations by uniting them around a common aim. Reflect on your mission statement and remember instances where it facilitated courageous action. Appreciation for previous accomplishments fosters assurance for forthcoming obstacles.

3. Creativity as a facilitator of connections

Lubetzky articulated that employing 'and' is beneficial not only for business but also for mending differences. The most effective solutions arise from attentive listening, constructive challenges, and the mutual decision to uplift one another. He stated that during conflicts, “we instinctively lack empathy for them, as if recognizing their humanity would undermine our assertion.”

Creativity encompasses more than merely innovative concepts. It pertains to constructing connections. Entrepreneurs and marketers inherently become activists, as both commercial and purposeful endeavors necessitate creativity to influence millions towards their perspective. Transformative creativity necessitates the integration of multiple perspectives, the encouragement of constructive discord, and the collaborative development of solutions. This generation of youth is profoundly passionate about this ideology.

Empathy insight: When customers identify a UX deficiency or colleagues challenge a strategy, engage proactively. Emotionally adept leaders leverage stress as a catalyst for innovation. Identify a friction point, pause to get value from it, and convene a diverse panel to respond: How can we have a more profound understanding of this perspective? Who else could gain from addressing this challenge? What is forfeited if we disregard the issue? What is the minimal action we may undertake to initiate the bridging process?

4. The capacity for love and forgiveness

“Love and forgiveness pertain to empathy.” Lubetzky asserted, "We all possess the capacity to love and forgive, and to refrain from harboring resentment." He subsequently urged graduates to reflect on instances when they felt judged and occasions when they evaluated others. Empathizing with others requires practice. An effective on-ramp involves reflecting on issues you have personally observed.

Prior to their departure, each graduate was given two Kind Bars—one intended for a mentor and the other for an individual with whom a relationship had deteriorated—along with the directive: “Reach out and reconstruct that bridge.” Unresolved stress hinders even the most concentrated persons. A genuine apology or expression of thanks can foster connections more rapidly than any memorandum or press release in the corporate realm.

Empathy insight: Love and forgiveness are principles to strive for in business. Bitterness and animosity insidiously deplete vitality, ingenuity, and cultural expression. Organize a quarterly workshop titled “Turning Scarcity to Abundance” in which your team identifies concerns that cause them distress and reinterprets them as an opportunity. Engage a coach to facilitate resolution of conflicts, demonstrating to employees that compassion and forgiveness are essential behaviors that merit investment for the organization's culture.

Adolescence as a mental framework

In conclusion, Lubetzky articulated the paramount idea of his discourse: “Youth is not a chronological stage, but a mental disposition.” Curiosity, resilience, and compassion are not contingent upon one's birthdate; rather, they are attributes that may be cultivated and refined on a daily basis.

You, as entrepreneurs, executives, or changemakers, represent the "young and audacious" who will shape the future. Incorporate resilience, courageous introspection, innovative collaboration, and compassionate forgiveness into your endeavor purposefully. The instruments are inherently within you. Implement them, and observe the transformation of your business and the surrounding world.