If the first day of EntreCon was all about the importance of employees and engagement, day two is shaping up to focus on building a culture that sustains and grows that talent to better your business.

As entrepreneurs and experts including Thomas Duncan, CEO of Trusted Health Plans, and venture capitalist Chuck Dieveney took to the Pensacola Little Theatre stage Nov. 4 to share their lesson learned, EntreCon continued a focus on giving businesses and individuals the tools they need to be more successful.

“This is really great to have something like this here,” said Realtor Tim Ekelund with Levin Rinke Realty.

Ekelund said he found the networking opportunities advice about the importance of a deep focus on customer service beneficial, especially in his professional world.

EntreCon is a two-day business and entrepreneurship conference hosted by Studer Community Institute on Nov. 3-4.

EntreCon 2016 features 40 speakers and panelists, including seven keynote speakers and 12 breakout sessions.The speakers and panelists will share strategies, offer advice and provide information on starting and growing a business.

Dieveney is managing director of Maryland-based Juggernaut Capital, a venture capital firm that bought a majority share of Studer Group in 2011 for $217 million. The firm sold Studer Group, founded by Quint Studer as a healthcare consulting firm in 1998, in 2015 to Chicago-based Huron Consulting Group for $325 million.

Dieveney’s insight about making a business attractive to outside investors boiled down to three things: Culture, performance measurements and commitment to customer service.

Both Duncan and Dieveney shared something else about the entrepreneurial journey.

Failure is not only an option, it can be the way to learn the hardest — and most enduring — lessons.

Lessons that pave the way for your success later on.

Duncan warned others not to fall so in love with a product, that they neglect the business realities that impact success.

It wasn’t until he went through four failed businesses that he landed on what became his success story.

Dieveney — who counts among his missed opportunities passing on the chance to invest early on in Under Armour — warned business owners to be prepared for tough feedback as they work to determine if the time to grow is right.