Monday, June 24, 2013

The Heart of The Entrepreneur

If love is all around, as the song saysthen so are entrepreneurs.  And they have been with us since us humans started to interact and trade commercially.

One can almost imagine the brighter cave man a few million years ago realizing that as the most competent fire maker he could sell that skill to other cavesand get all the cave woman he wanted without having to club one over the head. (This skill is still evident in some pubs in Joburgbut I digress)

Wherever there has been supply and demand, there have been entrepreneurs, looking for the gap to make something from nothing, to add value, to take advantage of a fear or a greed.

Do you realize, virtually every commercial product & service that you consume or use has its origins with an individual entrepreneur somewhere in the past, either recent or distant.

Sound far-fetchedname a service...say retail, Pick n PayRaymond Ackerman, your telephoneAlexander Graham Bell, motor carsKarl Benz, electricityThomas Edison; all now represented by huge organizations, but started by individual people.

Yes they had assistance, backing, teams of people but what they, as individual people had most was the single minded vision and drive to achieve their dreams against any and all odds.

“Entrepreneur” is defined as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise” (Meriam Webster) It's a word borrowed from French, and is derived from Old French, from the word “entreprendre” , or to undertake.

It's a great derivationto undertake or to set about; it came into broad use in the 1850’s and is today commonly seen as a business leader and innovator of new ideas, but in truth its anyone who embarks on a journey to achieve an objective
There are, and have been entrepreneurs in every sector of society, from every age group, from trading, entertainment, technology, energy, design, health and retail. They are inventors, designers, accountants and lawyers, engineers, male and female and from every ethnic group on earth.

Whether ancient or very recent, and whether you accept the interpretation above, one thing you can agree with is that entrepreneurs have been and are greatly admired.  They are originators, founders, creators; without them the world would stagnate, and we surely wouldn’t have the world which we inhabit.

Many books have been written on what makes a great entrepreneur; the Kersners, Bransons, Packers, Gates and Jobs of this world are held up for inspection & interrogation. Entertainers such as Beiber, Cruise, Spielberg, are case studies unfolding in the media daily.

For the small businessperson this is a great source of inspiration; they all have common factors that have made them successful, they are an awesome bunch.  Driven, focused and mostly big, big dreamers.

But can I, a small businessperson, actually apply some of this knowledge?

What if I just want to make a success of my local (fill in anything you choose) business, do these factors apply? What if I don't want to conquer the world, or even the country or province, I just want to pay for my kids to get a decent education?

We are inspired yes, by reading and hearing of these people; we admire and even may envy their abilities, but can we ever hope to emulate them?

Well, you can, as long as you have one factor very firmly in hand, its not complicated and its intensely personal, and may require a little introspection; it's a first yet vital step.

That critical factor is “Purpose”the reason for why you get out of bed in the morning, the fire in your belly, the drive you may have.  Every time you fail, its purpose that rekindles your desires.

It's a tough one; many people will answer if asked this question with, “survival”, “money”, “children”, “family”.  All totally valid but not quite answering the question; these are outcomes and results, they don't tell you the full picture.

Deep in your awareness is that one reason you do what you do (or should have or want to do) It may be to help people, entertain them, educate them, make the world a better, organized placeits your way of contributing.

Find that, be painfully honest with yourself and when you see it you will recognize it.  You may still be following it, or you may have abandoned it, it could be anything but it will be yours.

Invalidate it at your peril, embrace it & rekindle your energy and drive.


 Some relief may even wash over youits is only in the failure of having, believing and following our purposes that we succumb to the acceptance & justification of our shortcomings.