As of February, 2015
about 13% of Americans are starting or running their own companies.
Entrepreneurs are a different and special breed – most have a
diverse skill set and a broader portfolio of work experiences than those who
have always been “employees”. Many would refer to an entrepreneur that they may
know as a “jack of all trades” or as someone who “cannot make up their mind”
about “what” they want to “do” for a living.
A study done in Germany in 2000, which was build on more than a
decade worth of research, showed that college students who had qualities that “predicted
AGAINST entrepreneurship” included “a desire for job or income security, as
well as having worked in internship or apprenticeship (since those lead to
specialization)”. Students who took a broad range of classes, had many
interests and who enjoyed working on several projects at a time were more
likely to have a disposition toward entrepreneurship. “
Steve Jobs used to say that creative people have a more diverse “bag
of experiences” than everybody else. He believed that if one was to be
innovative, they HAD to not have the same bag of experiences as their peers.
I personally have over 30 years of entrepreneurship under my
belt, I have had “jobs” yes, have actually been “employed” but have NEVER NOT
had some money making projects or companies working or developing at the same
time as that employment.
I have found that one who enjoys entrepreneurship more than
being an employee is one who takes self responsibility, who doesn’t mind the
fact that when things go wrong, there will be no one to blame except them, and
who thrives in some higher level of stress. For me, the stress drives me to
work harder, to work smarter and to get more creative!
I enjoyed
the following from the blog of Tammy Bleck – “Witty Woman Writing”
Let me set the record straight for all those
who are self-employed and all those who are not.
We do have "real jobs" and they
don't come with a cushion of a 401(k), paid vacation, sick days and a boss to
take the fall if we don't do it right. We have to pay our own expenses, not the
least of which are health insurance, retirement account, licenses, taxes,
organization fees, advertising, web site maintenance, computers and office
equipment, travel expenses, vehicle maintenance, and we don't get to call in
sick when we have the sniffles.
I think that those of us, who take a chance on
ourselves, put our confidence in our skills and go out there and actually build
something from nothing, are warriors in the truest sense of the word.
We take the chance every single day that we
will make enough money to keep the lights on, the mortgage paid, the kids in school,
gas in the tank, food on the table and clothes on our backs. If you think
that's slacking, I'd like to see you try it.
People who act on their passion are a gift of
light, hope and possibilities to our world. It takes a tremendous amount of
courage and fortitude to tackle the unknown every day, to take the bad days
with a grain of salt and not let the good days go to our heads. It takes
balance, audacity, drive, vision and great deal of smarts.
I can only speak for myself in saying that
even with the days that my income surpasses my wildest expectations, I always
feel like I'm just one step away from living under a bridge. The fear level
that comes with being self-employed is palatable. We feel it in our gut and we
can literally taste the fright in our mouths. But here's the deal: we go out
and achieve our goals in spite of it.
Those of us in business for ourselves don't
always get it right. We are often wrestling with self doubt, second guessing
and re-grouping. The best of us never give up. We may take a moment to lick the
wounds of defeat should our venture not succeed, but the true entrepreneur will
be back, and always with a vengeance.
But on the chance you have any doubt, know
that this country was not built by corporations but rather on the backs of the
entrepreneur; the dreamer who had an idea and the courage to follow it, the
inventor who was ridiculed but still persisted, the architect, artist, writer,
musician, and philosopher who despite opposition and mockery stayed the course.
link to full article written in 2013 for
Huffington Post:
We are all
different and all have different comfort levels. This country is sustained by
both the entrepreneurs and small business as well as the large corporations. It
takes all kinds to keep things moving in our economy and there are upsides and
downsides, depending upon the day J to being
an employee or being self-employed. We should all remember to be tolerant of
our differences and give respect both ways when it is well deserved!
Thanks for
reading and remember, if you need help achieving your goals, or that work/life
balance, our coaches can help! Contact us on our website at: www.TheMaxProfit.com
for a FREE phone consultation!
Renee Johnston
CEO and Executive Coach
The Max Profit
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