F.C. Dawkins

Did you know that more than 350,000 Canadians live and work in Silicon Valley. That’s right more than one percent of our population and a much higher portion of our intellectual capital have left us for the world’s most prestigious and most productive ecosystem. This is both a problem and an opportunity but not one that government can solve or even try to solve. So how do we stem the tide?

It’s not a quick fix. When we are producing world class talent they are inevitably attracted to the epicentre of success, achievement but most of all opportunity. It is the opportunity that we need to focus on. The Creative Destruction Lab does that. It creates opportunity here in Canada. The leader Professor Ajay Agrawal is a dynamo. He is the living evidence that entrepreneurship can be taught, an academic with the drive and mindset that can match anyone in the business community. The stated goal of the Lab is to generate equity – specifically to create $ 1 billion in equity in the first ten years. After the first two years approximately $ 130 million has been achieved. However the real goal is to keep the best and most brilliant we produce here in Canada, helping to build our own world class ecosystem and offering a valuable example to others that “Canada’s Got Talent” and I don’t mean the variety acts we see on the American TV show.

Ventures receive the very best of mentorship. It is amazing to see how they evolve in less than one year. Watch for results – they have already started but many more will follow in the years to come

There has been a rush to embrace entrepreneurship over the past ten years, especially since 2008. Every college, every university now offers courses in a discipline once perceived by the public as reserved for misfits, gamblers and tech high rollers. Of course that’s one of the many myths and misconceptions about entrepreneurship. Those mystical entrepreneurs so far removed from the average life have always been but a small percentage of those who take control over their lives and pursue opportunities at any level

Another of these misconceptions is that you can only become a true entrepreneur through trial and error gaining experience along the way. You could just as well say that about any group or profession. None of us are totally happy if our lawyer is conducting his first case. How many of us would enjoy the prospect of surgery if we found out that our surgeon was a novice. Of course like any other endeavour we entrepreneurs gain insight and judgement from as Nike says just doing it. However there is something to be said for better preparation through shared experiences. We need far more mentors teaching and sharing ideas with would be entrepreneurs.

My series The Entrepreneurial Edge is focused on doing that. You see I tell stories with characters that are making important life decisions that centre around being entrepreneurs. Would be entrepreneurs at any age and at any level of education relate well to these stories full of real life anecdotes from a forty five year career as a serial entrepreneur. Having run workshops on the book I find it works well with high school students right up to PHD graduates and from business novices up to people that have been in business for years. If you are an academic teaching or a business coach mentoring, the first book Everyday Entrepreneur will enhance your efforts.

In a world dominated by rapid change, still dealing with economic uncertainty, where job stability has vanished in the face of multiple jobs over the course of one’s work life, entrepreneurial thinking is critical whether within your own business, working within a large organization or most critical in managing your career. In the face of government gridlock and inefficiency social entrepreneurship is becoming essential for solving societal problems My goal in writing the series is to encourage as many people as possible to consider entrepreneurship and put aside the myths and misconceptions preventing them from making the leap of faith in their ability to solve problems and make things happen. In the process I hope to better prepare them by sharing experiences and potential problems in advance. Most of all I hope to help them understand the philosophy of being an entrepreneur – success is much more about the mindset than the skillset.

Fred Dawkins is an author and serial entrepreneur, currently writing a series on entrepreneurship for Dundurn Press. He is also a partner at the Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto

You are educated. Now what? The most important skill you can add today is the ability to create and manage your career. On the surface this is not the best time to graduate. The cost of education is very high, bringing student debt to record levels. Job stability is in decline. The distribution of wealth is skewed in favour of those at the top. Upward mobility is in jeopardy. The rate of change is increasing. All this means that your future is dependent on self-determination grounded in awareness of the world in which you live. In this environment, you are your own brand and must plan on reinventing yourself throughout your work life. Start engaging in entrepreneurial thinking right at the outset of your career. Whether you start a business, become a solopreneur, work in a large entity or engage in social entrepreneurship, you have to become adaptable and resilient in a world dominated by change. Entrepreneurial thinking is about a mindset not a skillset. Success is about finding a way not knowing the way. In the era of Big Data this is essential. We will never know enough or understand enough of what we know. So abandon prison thinking and get started.

Five ideas to reject:

1. Education guarantees you a future. Sorry you don’t have it made: education never ceases and formal education just gives you more opportunities. There are no guarantees
2. There are no jobs for graduates. There are barriers to entering the work force which are as insurmountable as we allow them to be. Resilience and adaptability start now.
3. Government will solve the employment problem. Would you really choose government as your advocate to solve any problem?
4. There is no future within small business. Life expectancy of all businesses is in decline. Strategic management of your career takes you where you can gain the most now!
5. Millenials don’t make good hires. Maybe you place a higher value on social media contact and demand access during the day but technology is your ally making you more productive than older generations.

Ten Reasons for Confidence:

1. Technology, your ally, has lowered the cost of administration through the integration of many management tasks. A one pound portable laptop allows anyone to incorporate their accounting system, sales marketing network, all communication, research, collections and payments not to mentions a wide variety of personal needs. Add in mobility via a smartphone and you are always accessible and connected. You have the potential to do it all, as a disruptor within a large corporation or government agency or as an independent.
2. Big Data is generating new problems at record rates. Every problem is an opportunity.
3. Social networking, another ally, has increased the reach of individuals allowing market access on a much broader geographic scope. Services can be offered at great distance. Endorsements can be sought and received across the country or even worldwide. Credibility can be built quickly through performance. LinkedIn is a great tool to market your skills and pursue your career strategy.
4. Websites can be both affordable and first class allowing an individual to build a professional image. Employee and entrepreneur alike can build their brand and market themselves.
5. Outsourcing is an established practice by which governments and large corporations are achieving flexibility which rewards specialization right down to the individual level. Businesses may only want you part time so find several of them and keep them happy.
6. Acquisition is a principal way for large entities to find innovation making startups, often founded on youth and enthusiasm a great opportunity if you can join the right team.
7. Succession is a huge issue for hundreds and thousands of viable independent businesses in North America as the baby boom generation hits retirement depending on their business to fund their future. You can find a mentor leading you to acquire your own business through an earn out that funds his or her retirement.
8. Size is simply becoming a liability – there are many small viable market niches that large companies and foreign sourcing will never fill. Adaptability, resilience and flexibility are essential in a world dominated by change.
9. Opportunity is nowhere, opportunity is everywhere. Recognizing opportunity is the cornerstone of success in every aspect of your career.
10. Determination was the key to graduating. It is also the key to managing your career.

Starting your career is the first of many problems ahead. Every problem provides an opportunity. The solution to a successful career lies within your ability to create your own brand.

Fred Dawkins is a serial entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience and achievements in manufacturing, retail, land development, consulting and import/export. He holds a B Com in commerce and finance and a M.A. in economics from the University of Toronto. His business has allowed him to travel extensively, giving him insight into the emerging global economy and making him a passionate advocate of entrepreneurship in the 21st century.
Everyday Entrepreneur [Dundurn Press] is the first book in Dawkins’ Entrepreneurial Edge series, and is currently available at all booksellers, including Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes & Noble and Chapters Indigo. His novel, 2020 Hindsight, explores major contradictory trends in society in a compelling contemporary fiction narrative, and is forthcoming as an e-book on Amazon.com.
Website: http://fcdawkins.com/

“Fred Dawkins sure can tell a story. I really enjoyed his previous one: Everyday Entrepreneur. Again with Family Entrepreneur, he gives us a great story and a pleasant read. He provides wisdom, comfort and learning about entrepreneurship from a family enterprise point of view. I kept thinking of those I know in that situation that would have benefited from reading it earlier in their life. If you are part of a family enterprise, here’s a chance to learn from Fred, an accomplished family entrepreneur, and make your life much more effective and rewarding.”

Brendan Calder Entrepreneur in Residence and Adjunct Professor GettingItDone
Rotman School of Management U of Toronto.

After reading Family Entrepreneur: “In the age of Twitter, it warms the heart that ‘smallbizpreneurs’ still rule the roost and family business remains the proven formula”

Peter C. Newman – Legendary Canadian journalist and author

Author Fred Dawkins has penned another winner with Family Entrepreneur. The third party narrative style of storytelling allows for a variety of opinions to be put forward while maintaining an entertaining read. Chalked full of real life scenarios and challenges that face every business, the Family Entrepreneur will engage all entrepreneurs from every generation, whether in a family business or not.

David Wojcik Host and Executive Producer BiZ TV Canada

“Working in the Financial Services industry for fifty plus years, twenty seven as an Independent Financial advisor, I dealt with high net worth clients & many successful family businesses. The first book in this series was very good but I believe that this second one ought to become the bible for every entrepreneur & budding entrepreneur as it is full of very valuable, helpful & vital advice & is very cleverly written. It is a book that should be read over & over & dipped into whenever there is a query or problem”

Frank Weisinger – Past National President of the Life Insurance Association (UK)

“Recently I was in the process of selling my historically significant commercial building. During the negotiations with realtors and prospective buyers, poring over lists, namely needs, wants, and conditions, I was overwhelmed and sought a diversion. In Fred Dawkins book, “Everyday Entrepreneur” I quickly became immersed in the text. His counsel on the key elements in negotiations in Chapter 18, Planning and Control, awakened in me an appreciation for what was most important for me as well as for the buyer, and the need for flexibility to reach an agreement. I accepted that it truly was a process that had to evolve, and because of his advice I felt empowered and confident to negotiate the sale.”

Elaine Tucker, Independent Business Owner

Fred’s book is thought provoking, highly entertaining while being truly insightful. Readers are challenged on their own beliefs and characteristics regarding entrepreneurship, mentors, career, and family. At times, I was laughing and other times intrigued by the business concepts subtlety being offered. It is full of rich ideas on how to develop and maintain an entrepreneurial mindset and how to build a business the right way, avoiding the issues that have caused others to stumble. As a serial entrepreneur and business coach I highly recommend Fred’s “Family Entrepreneur” for those in business or thinking about starting one.

Bill Simmel CEO& Founder Phoenix ONE Sales, Marketing, Management + Communications Inc.

In his second book Family Entrepreneur Fred Dawkins uses the same intimate discussion format that made his first book, Everyday Entrepreneur so informative and such a great text for seminars. Fred’s experiences as a successful family entrepreneur form the bases of real life discussion for concepts such as funding through leadership and the pitfalls and opportunities of personal issues, entitlement, rewards and succession that have special significance in a family setting. Best expressed in his own words “Entrepreneurship is a life philosophy grounded in opportunity, fueled by determination and focused on results.” Whether a beginner, well into an entrepreneurial venture, or a professor of business, this book is a must. It’s great stuff.

Dr. Freeman McEwen Dean Emeritus, University of Guelph

Reading Fred Dawkins book ‘Family Entrepreneur, Easier Said than Done’ is like having an experienced business coach who’s already walked down the same road you’re traveling, right there with you. While reading this book you’re bound to sigh with relief as he examines all the mildly crazy things we do as family entrepreneurs (we are not alone!). You’ll raise your eyebrows, smack yourself on the forehead and underline text reflecting his simple solutions and powerful observations and you’ll feel a surge of motivation as you put them into play immediately. So accurate are his examples of family business dynamics that you’ll feel such a familiarity with Dawkins’ writing you’ll swear he’s been reading your email. Written in a storybook format that’s enjoyably easy to read, you’ll want to take this book along with you on your next vacation. I have a hunch it’s going to be a book I return to and recommend on a very regular basis.

Sherri J Griffin 20 Year Training & Development Professional

“This book is an exceptional read that paints the bigger picture of entrepreneurship through easy but important dialogue. I recommend anyone interested in starting a business or entrepreneurship in general read this and take notes.”

Douglas Lusted CEO Linkett, The Next 36, First Cohort The Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Velocity Venture Fund Winner University of Waterloo

Utilizing his exemplary storytelling skills, Fred Dawkins has written an excellent book about entrepreneurship in a family setting environment and the the many challenges that it places on the entrepreneur and the family, as well. As indicated in his subtitle, it is easier said than done. The book clearly articulates a number of the issues involved in running a business so that the primary owner can prosper yet not conflict with family values, expectations, including physical, as well as financial and emotional needs. He cleverly exposes how frequently family members butt heads during the running of a family business and how difficult it can be to resolve differences among family members. If you’re a small business or entrepreneur working with your family in your business, I would highly recommend that you read Family Entrepreneur. It will provide you with valuable insights on how you might be better able to deal with the challenges in running a “family” business.

Jeff Sheehan- author of HIRED! Paths to Employment in the Social Media Era

Family Entrepreneur: Easier Said than Done by serial entrepreneur Fred Dawkins tells real-life stories that reveal the good, the bad and the ho-hum of family businesses. In an engaging, easy-to-read format, Dawkins shows you how to find your own solutions to questions about business controls, succession, dispute resolution, gender stereotypes, or decision-making.

Traditional family businesses are being disrupted as baby boomers retire. What are the new models to keep a business competitive and family ties strong? In Family Entrepreneur, memorable maxims guide the conversation and bring the reader into the conversation. A sister who functions as the COO of her brothers’ company but doesn’t get the credit or financial rewards. A brother who runs a business but can’t make critical decisions because their father left one-half of his company to each sibling. A brother who started his own very successful business and is being pressured by his parents to take his brother and sister into his own business. A mother who started her own fashion company and is now being overrun by her daughters.

Dawkins speaks to all entrepreneurs and ‘want-to-be’ entrepreneurs – those who start a business to provide for their families, to fulfill their dreams, to profit from their innovations, to be their own boss. Hear how they make their decisions – should they stay in the company? sell it? start a new business? In my own field of veterinary medicine, these situations are a recurring theme.

Focusing on family business and family dynamics, the Family Entrepreneur will give you the courage to tackle your own situation. Family relationships are complicated in the best of circumstances and running a company means constantly adapting to changing environments. Dawkins provides sage advice for anyone in a family business, emphasizing how important it is to face the issues head on as rationally as you can and not to allow emotion to dominate the conversation.

Dawkins celebrates the family business as the original business incubator and encourages would-be entrepreneurs to take the leap (after careful looking at all the options!). The valuable insights will guide you no matter where you are on the entrepreneurial timetable.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Stone | Dean, Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) | University of Guelph

In the fast paced age of corporations and global multi-billion dollar industries – Family Entrepreneur is a riveting road map for all readers, regardless of their desire to become an entrepreneur, or to simply learn key tools which will drive creativity, leadership and success in business and life.
Who said you can’t teach entrepreneurship? Effective and cleverly narrated through the eyes of a young female entrepreneur, Family Entrepreneur showcases the challenges, rewards and opportunities within life and family business from varying timelines. It’s easy to find one’s self and relate to the characters throughout the book. It reads like a novel, but is a sneaky and fun way of teaching the tools of the trade of family entrepreneurship – or for that matter – entrepreneurship in general.
Maryam Latifpoor-Keparoutis, Senior Development Manager, College of Physical & Engineering Science (CPES), University of Guelph

I am a serial entrepreneur who believes that the free enterprise system is the best alternative for creating upward mobility, a growing middle class, the most efficient allocation of resources and the least costly production of goods and services to the benefit of society as a whole. But free enterprise is based on the principal of a free and open market. Theoretically the ease of communication today should create more opportunity and much greater competition. Free enterprise does not thrive in a monopoly or oligopoly both of which limit competition but in many cases that is what we now have. As a result the middle class in the west is in serious danger of backsliding into the poor class from which it came over the past hundred plus years.

Branding and Brand power are the main tools that are limiting competion, allowing capital to seize a much larger portion of the pie at the expense of labour creating the status of superrich and the growing disparity in the distribution of wealth. These are serious dangers because market control interferes with free enterprise and skews the results. Yes it is still possible to create a new brand but increasingly large organizations block the market and take advantage by acquiring up and coming companies and only then allowing them full market penetration.

On an individual basis it is now critical to become an entrepreneur allowing for self-determination and upward mobility that is in decline for employees. The most important skill anyone can learn today is the ability to create and manage your career. The problem is much bigger for society. We have created a society in the west with very high expectations and a philosophy of entitlement. A large percentage of the population will not put forward the effort and level of determination required to succeed as an entrepreneur – not without first experiencing serious pain and a major economic correction. We are vulnerable but collectively we remain in a state of denial.

The capitalist system which allowed the middle class to flourish in the west is broken. Rather than continuing to create opportunity it has begun to limit it. Rather than spreading the success to the developing world we are in danger of returning to a more rigid class system with the superrich having a disproportionate amount of economic power. Solutions are impossible as long as we remain in a state of denial compounded by governments which have become dysfunctional. A good start could come from consumers by becoming better informed and breaking the power of the brands. This should be happening through social media but it isn’t. Instead brand control of the market is being re-enforced by social media marketing.

I am very concerned that I have lived and worked in an era that has been optimum for the individual but is no longer sustainable. I am very concerned that my grandchildren will be denied the opportunity that my generation has enjoyed. One of the great challenges of capitalism is to moderate the influence of greed. If we don’t find a way to level the playing field it’s difficult to predict how social unrest will manifest itself in a society where expectations cannot be achieved.

In theory as Globalization evolves resources will be allocated in the most efficient way possible ensuring that goods will be produced on the lowest cost basis to the benefit of all. In a perfect global system labour will shift around until the transition is complete and the rewards for labour will equalize around the global network. During the transition while wage rates in higher earning countries are frozen or rise slowly as wage rates in other areas catch up, those living in the higher wage countries will benefit from low cost goods during the transition. All of this takes place without impediments or barriers to free and open competition. Entrepreneurs will drive the progress by ferreting out opportunities across the global system.

In practice as we continue to embrace such a global system, the rewards to labour in the low wage countries are lagging while much of the benefit of low cost goods are not reaching the consumer. Instead the rich are becoming the super rich while the middle class is facing the reality of returning to an historical norm with relative rewards well below those achieved in the west for the past sixty years during which consumerism has flourished. In an evolving era of Big Data where the status quo is becoming a moving target while character traits such as adaptability and resilience are becoming more critical, the business behemoths of the world are getting richer by controlling markets. Much of this control stems from branding and creating the allusion that branded goods are inherently superior. At the same time effective marketing has mislead us that these behemoths are so critical that they are ‘too Big to Fail’. Branding has effectively created near monopolies effectively providing barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs in the process by limiting their upside and increasing their challenges

Mammoth organizations operating on ten year plans are not appropriate for our fast paced Global economy. However control over markets allows them to achieve innovation and flexibility through outsourcing and acquisition. Oh these in themselves do create upside for entrepreneurs who can launch a startup and find an eager buyer for their initial success. However the odds against success are greater and fewer of us are likely to get there. It is certainly possible for a limited few to build new brands creating new members of the super rich club. However overall we have abandoned core economic principles such as the Law of Diminishing Returns and the Optimum Size of the firm in favour of uninformed consumerism and market control through brands owned and managed by what are effectively huge bureaucracies. Is there a tipping point ahead? Surely social media and instant communication are a threat to the dominance of brands – OR are they just additional instruments of control?

Globalization has brought large numbers into the global work force, increasing the supply of labour. Technology through robotics and mechanization is reducing the demand for labour. Together these factors create downward pressure on wage rates. Upward mobility for the individual is in decline. Capital is securing the lion’s share of the rewards. Job stability is one of the status quos that is disappearing. For all of these reasons the individual must become his or her own brand. The most important skill you can learn today is the ability to create and manage your career.

Fellow Entrepreneurs listen up! I read almost a book a day and rarely do I fall this deeply in love with the entire book. A delightful exception to that rule has been Everyday Entrepreneur. Fred Dawkins has a simplicity that is accessible by entrepreneurs at every level, including those who are paving new ways within organizations, not just those of us out in the business wilderness. If you want a fast read that you’ll be able to convert into massive action that will undoubtedly improve the way you do business then drop everything and read this book.

Sherri J Griffin
20 Year Training & Development Professional

“`The most important skill in the 21st century will be the ability to create your own job.” Fred Dawkins Author of Everyday Entrepreneur – my favorite new book – a quick read with all the common sense through the stories of people whose experiences ring so true to life. I suggest all students and young engineers I have worked with pick up a copy! You won`t be sorry!”

Maryam Latifpoor-Keparoutis
Senior Development Manager
College of Physical & Engineering Science (CPES)
University of Guelph

Most of what the average person reads about entrepreneurship sustains the mystique. We revere the outstanding successes achieved by extreme entrepreneurs — everyone from Edison to Jobs. Yet, reading about these giants colors our perception of entrepreneurship. We admire their achievements but consider them beyond reach. Their stories often sustain misleading myths about entrepreneurship that keep capable people from embracing an entrepreneurial career. People begin to believe that to travel down the entrepreneurial path, a person must be born with a particular mindset, take reckless risks to achieve high rewards, work all day, everyday and must fail to succeed. Don’t let these misconceptions scare you off.

Entrepreneurship can be taught, it should be taught and it is being taught.

After 50 years of a flawed model focused on churning out executives for large corporations, colleges and universities have turned their attention to promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship. These schools are focusing on teaching the entrepreneurial lifestyle; one focused on both the mindset and the skillset required to become an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship is not about the risk you take, but the results that you achieve

It’s a startling paradox. Too many good opportunities die prematurely because so many potential entrepreneurs are risk averse. At the same time businesses are failing because of absurd risks fostered by the idea that being an entrepreneur is nothing more than a gamble. Entrepreneurs succeed through determination not by taking unwarranted risk. Managing risk as you embrace it is critical. Not all ideas are opportunities and every opportunity is not viable. Managed risk is inherent in the lean startup focused on getting valuable feedback from potential end users before jumping into full scale operation.

Entrepreneurs need to find work/life balance and will have regrets if they don’t.

Having a strong work ethic and being willing to put in extended days when required is critical. During your startup phase and later when you encounter bumps in the road you will work long hours with great satisfaction. But as things progress you need to find balance by building your team, easing control and empowering your staff. You must recharge your batteries. Never forget: You are your most valuable human resource. Without balance your performance will suffer, your business will be restrained and your personal life will be sacrificed unnecessarily.

Failure is not essential. Entrepreneurs manage their risk and avoid failure.

Describing failure as an essential part of success is rationalization but many entrepreneurs are motivated by the fear of failure more than the rewards of success. Failure only happens when we either quit or are forced to give up. Mistakes are part of the learning curve. We do learn from them because we take the time to analyze them. Success is elating and it masks our faults. Continually improve by understanding what you do right and correcting what you do wrong in good times and in bad. If you do experience failure you can and will bounce back, many have.

Being an entrepreneur is within your reach.

You can become a problem solver who is determined to find a way to make things happen? Understand: we can’t all be innovators but for every innovation there will be thousands of entrepreneurs finding applications that solve everyday problems producing jobs and independence. Being first is over rated. Doing things better and different often brings greater opportunity

Believe in your own ability.

You can establish the mindset of an entrepreneur by eliminating the word ‘can’t’ from your vocabulary. You can approach problems by skipping right over the question “if” it can be solved and skip directly to the question “how” it will be solved. You can find opportunity and you can analyze to make sure that opportunity is viable. All of this can be done within the context of the traditional economy and you don’t have to be a tech genius to do it. Technology is not a threat but offers a great tool for you to use. We are entering a new era of entrepreneurship, which means it is an option for almost anyone. If you can’t carry the full weight of your own business bring entrepreneurial thinking to managing your career and performing your role as an employee. You won’t regret it.

Most of what the average person reads about entrepreneurship sustains the mystique. We revere the outstanding successes achieved by extreme entrepreneurs from Edison to Jobs. Reading about these giants colors our perception of entrepreneurship. We admire their achievements but consider them beyond reach. Their stories sustain misleading myths about entrepreneurship that combine to keep capable people from embracing an entrepreneurial career. Here are some of the distortions that deceive us:
– Entrepreneurs are born and cannot be made
– Entrepreneurs are gamblers who take reckless risks to achieve high rewards
– Entrepreneurs work 24/7 and have little or no personal life
– Entrepreneurs need to fail in order to succeed
These established stereotypes derive from two specific types of entrepreneurs. First are the misfits or rebels who either cannot or will not conform; the gamblers to whom few of us can relate. Second and even more prominent are the tech entrepreneurs immersed in the world of venture capital where risk is high, failure is frequent and the rewards for success are dramatic. However Silicon Valley is not the center of the universe and these are not the definitive entrepreneurs; they are but two types of many, both removed from the traditional economy and the rock solid problem solvers that collectively form the engine that drives the economy. Those are the achievers that make things happen especially creating jobs while big business is chasing lower costs around the globe.
Let’s set the record straight
Entrepreneurship can be taught. It should be taught and it is being taught
Becoming an entrepreneur is all about the mindset not the skillset. Entrepreneurs find the way to make things happen they don’t always know the way. This is a teachable philosophy, entirely appropriate in a world dominated by change which generates knowledge and new problems at a phenomenal rate. Finally after fifty years of a flawed model focused on turning out executives for large corporations, colleges and universities have turned their attention to promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is not about the risk you take but the results that you achieve
It’s a startling paradox. Too many good opportunities die prematurely because so many potential entrepreneurs are risk averse. At the same time businesses are failing because of absurd risks fostered by the idea that being an entrepreneur is nothing more than a gamble. Entrepreneurs succeed through determination not by taking unwarranted risk. Managing your risk as you embrace it is critical. Not all ideas are opportunities and every opportunity is not viable.
Entrepreneurs need to find balance and will make mistakes and have regrets if they don’t
Having a work ethic is critical. During your startup phase and later when you encounter bumps in the road you will work long hours with great satisfaction. But as things progress and you don’t find balance you are missing something – failing to build your team, keeping too much control or limiting your own development. Both you and your business will suffer. Never forget: you are your most valuable human resource. Balance is a subjective decision but dividing your time does not preclude you from succeeding as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs do manage their risk and avoid failure – if they fail they learn and move on
Describing failure as an essential part of success is pure rationalization. Admittedly many entrepreneurs are motivated by the fear of failure more than the rewards of success. Avoiding failure is a powerful source of determination. We do learn from failing because we take the time to analyze it. Success is elating and it masks our faults. Entrepreneurial infallibility is another myth that leads to bad decisions and setbacks that result from forgetting the basics.
What is an entrepreneur?
Most of us will never reach achievements like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. That does not demean what we do achieve. Society needs to recognize a broad definition of entrepreneurship at every level and value entrepreneurship of every type because in a world dominated by globalization and technology the one thing that we can count on is change across every element of our economy. Resilience and adaptability are important entrepreneurial qualities that allow us to embrace the ongoing pressure for change. In the simplest terms entrepreneurs are problem solvers who consistently make things happen. They are agents of change in an era of change. They are disruptors at a time when the status quo is a moving target. Do you want to be part of the solution or part of the problem? We can all become more entrepreneurial in our beliefs, break out of prison thinking and think outside the box. The alternative is personal stagnation and uncertainty evolving from lack of job stability, declining upward mobility and the shift in income distribution toward the rich. The most important skill you can develop is the ability to create and manage your own career,
Do understand: we can’t all be innovators but for every innovation there will be thousands of entrepreneurs finding applications for it that solve everyday problems producing jobs and independence in the mainstream economy. Being first is over rated. Doing things better and different often brings greater opportunity. Remember that coffee shops existed in London in 1650 but Starbucks found a new appeal and a great market niche for this old product that resonates in today’s economy.
Believe in your own ability. You can establish the mindset of an entrepreneur. You can eliminate the word ‘can’t’ from your vocabulary. You can approach problems by skipping right over the question “if” it can be solved and skip directly to the question “how” it will be solved. You can find opportunity and you can analyze to make sure that opportunity is viable. All of this can be done within the context of the traditional economy and you don’t have to be a tech genius to do it. Technology is not a threat but offers a great tool for you to use. We are entering a new era of entrepreneurship which means it really should be an option for almost anyone.

The most important skill you can learn today is the ability to create and manage your own career. We live in a world where globalization and technology combine to guarantee that the one constant we face is rapid change. There is no room for prison thinking as the status quo must constantly be challenged to ensure that we stay competitive. The most important characteristics for individuals, organizations and countries alike are resilience and adaptability. These are the key characteristics of entrepreneurs.
Unfortunately the prevailing stereotypes of entrepreneurs discourage many people from embracing the idea. Most of our perceptions about entrepreneurship stem from two specific types:
First are the misfits; those who either can’t fit in or don’t choose to embrace the norm. These are the rebels characterized as risk takers or gamblers. They convey the image of success achieved through reckless risk, initial failures and inherent natural instincts that allow them to succeed in areas that most won’t try.
The second high profile type is the tech entrepreneur immersed in the world of venture capital, an area typified by high risk, a high rate of failure and exceptional rewards for success. This is sphere that gives us most of the buzz words attributed to entrepreneurship such as accelerators, incubators and burn rate. The latter tells you when you will run out of funds so identifies the point at which you need and hope to have an investor. It’s a little like bungee jumping, hoping that someone will come along and tie your rope securely before you hit the ground but you leap anyway.
Together these two stereotypes re-enforce the perception that above all else entrepreneurs are risk takers whose success is tempered by failure. As a result of such typecasting many good projects never see the light of day while others fail by taking risks that can’t be justified.
These are but two forms of a wide range of entrepreneurial types but unfortunately they get most of the attention. Regardless they are far removed from the everyday entrepreneurs who provide the engine that drives the economy and the stimulus that creates jobs locally when big business is preoccupied chasing profits around the globe. In the broader circle the critical terms are practical; words like bootstrapping and the lean startup. Words grounded in reality and pragmatism. Hope is not the prevailing sentiment. Being proactive is critical. These mainstream entrepreneurs certainly take risks. The risk and reward dichotomy are joined at the hip. No doubt the greater the risk the greater the reward and the higher the chance of failure. Most successful entrepreneurs know how to manage their risk. Failure is far from a prerequisite. Learn from it if you must but avoid it if you can through anticipation, resilience and adaptability. Entrepreneurs are not defined by the risk that they take but rather by the results that they achieve. They are problem solvers who make things happen.
So what does it take to become an everyday entrepreneur? Is this a skill that can be learned or does it just come naturally? Do you have to work 24/7 and sacrifice your personal life to be successful? Is it all about the mystique or is there a formula to follow? Since this is a lifestyle about embracing change and becoming adaptable a formula is hardly appropriate. The key starting point is the philosophy. Becoming an entrepreneur is far more about the mindset than the skillset. Entrepreneurship is entirely about finding a way not knowing the way. In a modern world where new data is being generated at an alarming rate how much of what we know do we actually understand? Entrepreneurs never become preoccupied with whether they can accomplish something but spend their time and effort looking for solutions. The question ‘if’ doesn’t come up. Instead they ignore it moving immediately to ‘how’. They don’t have all the answers but they are dogged in their determination to solve the issue at hand. This is certainly a belief and an approach that can be taught and quite effectively. Entrepreneurship can be taught, it should be taught and it is starting to be taught. Colleges and Universities across the country are rushing to find the best ways to spread the word.
Does this mentality mean a 24/7 workaholic lifestyle? That’s a very personal choice but a bad one if you choose it. You may well work long hours during your startup phase when you are the generalist wearing every possible hat and passing through a learning curve that will prepare you for the next phase. You will also work those same long hours when you hit a bump in the road, a major threat and/or opportunity that needs your full attention. However, if you continue to do this as your regular routine, once you complete the startup stage, you are making mistakes that will limit both your life and your business. Either you are not building your team properly or you have become a control freak unable to delegate. In either case you and your business will suffer. In the end you will have regrets. Finding balance, admittedly a subjective decision is critical. Remember the most important human resource in your company is you. So find ways to take vacation; pay yourself fairly, attend courses and travel. Don’t let your business outgrow you.
In addition to determination the other essential ingredient for everyday entrepreneurs is opportunity. All ideas are not opportunities and every opportunity is not viable. Having ideas makes you a dreamer; converting them into reality makes you into an entrepreneur. This does not mean you have to be an innovator. For every innovation there are thousands of entrepreneurs who find applications in the process solving a wide range of problems in the business world. Experience helps you identify opportunity. Empathy can help because it makes you sensitive to problems that exist for others. Most opportunities do start with problems; the bigger the problem the higher the reward for solving it. That’s another aspect of the entrepreneurial mindset – every problem is an opportunity. You do have to be vigilant. All opportunities are not created equally but you have to make the best of what is available. Waiting for just the right one is like waiting for the winning lottery ticket. Often people just don’t see the possibilities but they are always some there if you are looking.
There are many other elements of being an everyday entrepreneur but determination and opportunity constitute the foundation. Most important don’t undervalue what you do. We need to value entrepreneurship at all levels, not just the superheroes like Steve Jobs. If running a business is not for you, work on that entrepreneurial mindset. Job stability is fleeting so manage the business of your career by making good decisions and taking jobs that build your personal brand. Every business today is placing new value on disruptors. These are people who challenge the status quo. Be entrepreneurial in your thinking, you won’t be sorry