The Ultimate Innovator: Brandon Frere Discusses Taking Lessons From Leonardo da Vinci

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Jul 23, 2018, 08:00 ET

PETALUMA, Calif., July 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest innovative minds the world has ever known. While he is best known for his paintings, he was also a brilliant sculptor, scientist, engineer, architect, philosopher and inventor. Amazing as it may seem, he was almost entirely self-educated, driven by his quest for knowledge and his drive to excel in whatever he did. Brandon Frere, CEO of Frere Enterprises and successful entrepreneur, believes there are some key lessons that innovators and entrepreneurs can learn from da Vinci's example.

Remembered as a legendary genius, da Vinci's beginnings were humble and showed little promise of his potential. Born in 1452 out of wedlock, he was unable to pursue formal education; at 15, he became an apprentice to the artist Andrea del Verrocchio and was quick to surpass his master's painting skills. In 1482, he entered into the service of the Duke of Milan, where he started designing weapons, buildings and machinery. During this time he also produced many studies in the subjects of nature, geometry, engineering and mechanics. After the Duke of Milan fell from power in 1499, da Vinci worked for many other patrons who supported his studies, earning a prestigious position in the court of King Francis I of France, where he stayed until his death in 1519.

"An important lesson entrepreneurs and innovators can learn from da Vinci is to avoid limiting ourselves with what we believe are our strengths," muses Brandon Frere. "da Vinci was an extraordinary painter and he could have made painting the focus of his life. Instead, he chose not to let his strength in painting limit him. He grew exponentially as a person by learning about other fields that interested him and was able to combine his passions to create new and exciting ideas that continue to inspire us today."

In one of his notebooks, da Vinci wrote "Principles for the Development of a Complete Mind: study the science of art; study the art of science. Develop your senses — especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else." One could argue that part of what set da Vinci apart from many great thinkers was his constant diversifying of knowledge, never appearing to have limited his interests. He embraced "whole brain thinking," a term used to describe the ability to think in a balanced way that combines science, art, logic and imagination. Steve Jobs, the great modern-day innovator who founded Apple, also embraced da Vinci's principle of whole brain thinking and attributed it to Apple's success. "It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough," he said. "It's technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing."

"Part of da Vinci's genius, and Jobs', too, was that they were able to recognize the connection between many subjects and rethink the way they interplay with each other," says Frere. "Innovation often stems from combining unlikely things together. If your view on a subject is too rigid, you risk losing out on new ideas."

Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, has written in-depth biographies on famous innovators da Vinci, Jobs, Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein. In a fascinating interview with psychologist Adam Grant, Isaacson discussed how these four innovators shared diverse interests, continued curiosity and imagination. Asked how he thought da Vinci's famed procrastination was relevant to us today, Isaacson said, "He always allows his imagination to blur into a challenge in reality … So sometimes, let your imagination push you a little bit. Don't be afraid of daydreaming, and then trying the impossible." In the modern world, daydreaming isn't seen as a productive pastime, however using da Vinci as an example, perhaps it should be.

"Being an innovator is about trying things that haven't been done before," says Frere. "That requires imagination and taking risks, going out on a limb. Never be afraid to stretch your imagination. History remembers those who dare to dream."

About Frere Enterprises
Brandon Frere is an entrepreneur and businessman who lives in Sonoma County, California. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers alike. His company website, www.FrereEnterprises.com, is used as a means to communicate many of the lessons, fundamentals and information he has learned throughout his extensive business and personal endeavors, most recently in advocating on behalf of student loan borrowers nationwide.

As experienced during his own student loan repayment, Mr. Frere found out how difficult it can be to work with federally contracted student loan servicers and the repayment programs designed to help borrowers. Through those efforts, he gained an insider's look into the repayment process and the motivations behind the inflating student loan debt bubble. His knowledge of the confusing landscape of student loan repayment became a vital theme in his future endeavors, and he now uses those experiences to help guide others through the daunting process of applying for available federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs.

FrereEnterprises.com

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