Adam Lieb is the founder of Duxter.com a gaming social networking site especially for gamers. At 26 he already had several businesses before starting Duxter. A high achiever in academia also with an MBA and law degree, he has his vision focused to achieve success.

How old were you when you started your first business?

I started my first business when I was 11 year old. My first business sold guides/cheats/reviews to gamers.

Did you have to struggle starting up? did you get any help?

The biggest struggle early on was telling a compelling story. In order to attract the best people you have to be able to paint the vision of your company. Learning to do that quickly and effectively was a struggle early on. We were fortunate enough to have advisors and mentors that helped craft the story.

Did you have setbacks? What motivated you to go on and succeed?

We had setbacks all the time. Users who don’t like the product. Vendors who don’t want to work with you. Investors that don’t believe in the opportunity. Ultimately it is about perseverance and belief. We have strong beliefs about what the gamer world should look like. We believe we can impact that future. Never wavering in that belief is what keeps you going in the face of setbacks.

How many people are working with you now in your company?

We have 11 folks total. 6 people are full time and 5 are part time.

Explain to us how Duxter works? Why every gamer should join Duxter?

Duxter connects your gamer life. It works by linking up your game networks (like XBOX live, or PSN), connecting with your friends, and tracking your favorite games. Duxter provides a platform for gamers to connect, engage, and earn rewards for doing the things they love in their gamer life.

Have you always been interested in video games growing up?

I have been playing games since I was about 4. It has always been apart of my life. Our team is comprised entirely from gamers.

Who is your start-up role model? Who is the best entrepreneur you admire the most?

Jim Sinegal, founder of Costco. Jim had an amazing vision that he executed perfectly. He didn’t listen to what outsiders said and constantly inspired people.

How did you come with the idea to start Duxter?

I had a previous business in the game industry. One of the problems we suffered was the inability to connect with gamers through mainstream social media (twitter/facebok etc..). Gamers told us they didn’t want to cross their personal life with their gamer life. We found out gamers wanted to be social and engage with social media, just not on the same network where their personal life was. Duxter was born from the idea that gamers needed their own social network to call home.

How different is Duxter from anything else in the gaming business?

Everyone is trying to do something social these days. The game industry is no different. Rather than trying to bolt social media on top of an existing offering, Duxter built its social platform from scratch.

Are you a programmer? what made you become interested in internet business?

I am. I don’t do programming at all anymore and haven’t in years. I learned web languages about 15 years ago and stopped keeping up with them about 5 years ago.

Do you believe entrepreneurship is nature or nurture?

Both. There are so many different types of entrepreneurs it is really difficult to generalize. Most of the best entrepreneurs I know, have been entrepreneurs most of their life. They spent their formative years solving problems and hustling.

How did you get investors to believe in your business idea in Duxter?

It is almost impossible to get smart people to believe in ideas. Attracting top investors is about showing them what you have is much more than idea. It is a business, validated by data.

What is the monetizing policy for Duxter?

Duxter sells products and services to gamers through our shop. Gamers can earn discounts on those goods by completing challenges and playing games.

How many people did you start the company with?

I started the company by myself. I quickly recruited an amazing team of talented engineers.

Do you consider your self a successful entrepreneur ? What are your success standards?

If the opposite of a successful entrepreneur is a failed entrepreneur, I guess I would say I am successful, at least until I fail.

Where do you picture your company five years from now?

In 5 years Duxter will be the largest network connecting millions of gamers across the world. In 5 years anyone who truly considers themselves a gamer will be connected through Duxter.

What is your advice for our readers at startupwizz.com from young entrepreneurs and start-ups?

Follow your gut, but listen to data.