What does it mean to be an entrepreneur? It has been a buzz word for quite a while now. What are the characteristics? Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur? How about “intrapreneur”?
By definition, entrepreneur means:
“a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money” or “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.” Note the common keywords business and risk. If there’s no real business or risk, you’re not an entrepreneur.
By definition, intrepreneur means:
a manager within a company who promotes innovative product development and marketing.
Difference – The intrapreneur has the comfort of knowing that failure does not have a personal cost as it does for an entrepreneur, since the organization absorbs losses arising from failure.
We all have an itch in life – something we look forward to or reason to wake up in the morning. The one million dollar question – are we willing to risk it and go for it?
Is everyone who starts a business an entrepreneur? These are questions that have been coming to my mind lately. Am I considered an entrepreneur because I started my own company? There was definitely a risk considering I took a small pay cut to invest my time expanding my portfolio. That’s actually what sets many people off track. We continuously think about the “safety net” and are afraid of letting go, which I TOTALLY understand. You have to be responsible when taking a leap, pay bills and eat.
But, at the same time, we can’t become too comfortable with what we have on the table. That’s what I believe an entrepreneur is. It is someone that is not afraid of jumping through hoops and taking risks without looking back. Monetary risk is the BIGGEST risk of them all, in my opinion. Is the financial risk holding you back right now?
The amount of stress that comes with a leap is unavoidable. There have been multiple times where I have doubted myself along the way and even cried. Poor Charlie has to console me! Sometimes the self doubts blur my vision. I’m certain entrepreneurs face moments like these, but I hope we all realize the risk taken is worth fighting for.
In addition, the “freedom” you have to decide when or what you work on is priceless. I wish everyone could feel that one day. With that “freedom” there are moments as well that I feel guilty too. Yup! Because I am able to pause the “work button” when is convenient for me, I feel guilty because my head constantly tells me I should be back to work. Is that weird? Am I the only one that feels that way? Tell me I’m not the only one. Haha. I constantly feel like I have to be working because I want to make sure I am providing value to all my clients. Is that “hustle” mentality also an entrepreneur characteristic? Maybe.
Are you currently in a role that you want to provide value and initiate change? Start making moves and take the risk! What do you got to lose?
Have you been thinking about taking the leap for a while now but haven’t done it yet? Remember, by definition, becoming an entrepreneur is taking a risk. What’s in between you and the decision of taking the risk?
Get going!