A missing piece in a massive industry

INC. THIS MORNING A missing piece in a massive industry Good morning, When Delane Parnell, 29, was growing up on Detroit's West Side, gang violence was a part of life. Parnell got an after-school job at a cell-phone store mostly to spend less of his time in his neighborhood. Turns out, he was pretty good at selling cell phones.  By age 16, Parnell was using his savings to buy out other local cell-phone stores, and saw a future in entrepreneurship. He soon recognized potential in the growth of video games, and specifically e-sports—but also saw a lack of structure in this thing countless students were spending a lot of their time on. So in 2017 Parnell founded PlayVS, which would go on to become the competition infrastructure underlying much of American high-school e-sports. Today PlayVS is valued at more than $400 million. Read on for more about Parnell’s inspirational story–and how he spotted the missing piece in a massive industry. Inc. 5000. Call For Entries Apply now to be recognized as one of America's fastest-growing private companies! Applications are open for Female Founders 100 Our annual list celebrates the most inspiring, creative, tenacious, and trailblazing women in entrepreneurship. Apply now! HERE'S WHAT ELSE I'M READING TODAY: Research shows taking a quick beat before moving to whatever is next can have a dramatic effect on your productivity and mood. –Inc.  These five words from Ketanji Brown Jackson are a masterclass in how to handle put-downs. –Inc.  A call to all leaders: Ditch the harshness and mind the heart. --Inc. Some employees may still want to wear masks during in-office meetings and that’s okay. –NYT  It’s in an employer’s best interests to fund debt-free education programs. –HBR  ONE MORE THING: Beware of using big titles to attract good talent. –Inc. --Brit Morse Associate editor, Inc. How are we doing? Send me ideas and feedback at BMorse@inc.com and on Twitter at @britnmorse. Join the visionaries who choose Inc. as their trusted source for the most accurate reporting on business. Join Inc. Unlimited today. Click here to forward to a friend. This email was sent by: Mansueto Ventures 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor New York, NY, 10007, Unsubscribe • Update Profile • View in Browser • Privacy Policy