Is Entrepreneurship for me? A Contemplation
By Kathy-Ann Fletcher
Considering the current push for entrepreneurship within the media by government and non-governmental agencies, it is time we consider the benefits of being an entrepreneur and whether or not it is within our capabilities.
Personal development – The experience of establishing your own business inspires growth in self-esteem, confidence, knowledge and ability to work with others as you learn and acquire more knowledge and experience.
Potential for Profit – You have a greater portion of the profits of the business and not just a meagre estimation of your contribution to the company.
Control of your own creative path – You can explore your creative passions and pursue your goals on your own terms. You have the major say in your role in the company and the direction of the business.
Prestige – There is a level of prestige in the world about being courageous enough to start and establish your own business and reap the financial bonuses that can come along with entrepreneurship. There is also the social mobility that it affords in that you have enough money and/or influence to run in more high powered circles.
Enlarges your circle of influence - You are helping the local economy and providing jobs that can help stabilise the economy. There are some new business that have made such a contribution to society e.g. Apple Computers that their founders (Steve Jobs) are seen as one of the most influential people in the world.
How do I know entrepreneurship is for me?
While some would say that there is a certain personality type associated with entrepre-neurship, my observation is that anyone can be an entrepreneur if that is their dream. However, you have to be willing to learn and develop the enterprising attitude that goes along with ups and downs of owning your own business and charting your own course.
You don’t have to be told to start working. You figure out what needs to be done and you get it finished.
You like to be in control of the jobs you are involved with.
You are passionate about everything that you do and about the path you want your career to take and the legacy you want to leave behind.
You have the desire to improve the standard of each company you are with.
You are always looking for opportunities to grow.
You are a natural at organising people into groups to deal with tricky situations and tasks.
You are persistent and keep trying in the face of challenging times even if you are told something is impossible.
You need to feel you are achieving success with whatever you are doing.
You are always thinking how you would change things in your employers business.
Your work is not just a means to an end for you. It is your life. You dream of more than collecting a paycheque then going home. You want your work to mean something beyond a 9 to 5.
You strategise not only today but for the future and create tactical plans to fulfil these strategies.
Staying on the entrepreneurship course is not easy. It can be lonely with long hours and tough decisions but at the end of the day, the rewards (tangible and intangible) of pursuing your dreams are stronger than the guilt you will feel saying what if I had only tried.
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