Definition of Entrepreneur

Ilise Benun from the Creative Freelancers Blog put up a link to a riveting story presented by Dan McComb of Biznik. The story is told in video form, and the story tellers within Shine: The Entrepreneur’s Journey is one that should be heard because there are so many people out there who fit this mold.

We all know who we are, and know how to try to fit into a stereotype. Every field has a definition, but not all fields are jobs. One such field is that of entrepreneurship. The stories behind the stereotype of an entrepreneur are vast and heart-breaking, as you’ll find in Shine.

Most people will choose to walk a path that is well-defined so that they don’t cause waves. As children, we’re told that making waves is a bad thing, and only troublemakers do this. As adults, we are forced into roles as dictated by societal mores so as to keep order in someone’s structured world. But there are some people who simply can’t walk in a specified manner, because they are marching to the beat of a different drum. That beat is encoded into their DNA, and it’s telling them that there is something more that they need. Something undefined. It can be a lonely road for those who answer it’s call.

Most people who choose entrepreneurship seem to say that they have a vision, but the vision is not particularly clear to them. It ends with a feeling of rightness when they have reached their potential. Their dreams are big, and they are driven to reach for them. After listening to this video, I can honestly say that I feel the pain of their callings. It’s not an easy journey. In particular, one gentleman about 7:48 minutes into the video stated that he admired those who can just happily climb the corporate ladder but that he couldn’t do that. I’m personally going down this path now, and it’s been excruciating for me as well. The looks from people who know and love me are hard to take at times, because they don’t understand what is driving me. They just know that they want me to be happy, but in terms of happiness that they understand.

Being an entrepreneur is much more than finding a way to get rich quick. If this is your goal, then don’t take this path because the chance of failure is immense. But if you have a vision that you can make a difference in this world by something that you possess, then it’s up to you to go after it. There will be thousands of people who will tell you that you’re chasing a dream that’s tenuous at best (especially if you tell your story to the public). But everything starts from a dream. Even those corporations that many of those people work at started with someone’s dream.

But be prepared for plenty of frustration, heartache, and hard work until your dream becomes a reality. Keep building your dream until you can physically see it. It won’t happen overnight. The naysayers will only have power over you if you choose to give it to them. If you’ve already been walking down that lonely path of going against a stereotype, then you’ve got the strength inside you to proceed on your own. Take hold of those hands who want to help you move forward. Listen to every word of encouragement and warning. Build your dream into the reality that you want it to be. You’ll know that you’ve reached it when you’re happy once again, and have helped others along the way towards obtaining your dream. Hopefully.

This is not a job! It’s a calling. You have the choice to either answer the soul-permeating drum beat, or follow the path already established. Just be satisfied with your choice.