Article of the Day
The 10 Rules For Successful Entrepreneurs – Forbes
Economics aside, this is what underpins entrepreneurship for me: freedom, independence and the ability to choose.
~ Luke Johnson at the UK launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week, 2013
Entrepreneurship. So What?
Does entrepreneurship matter? I ask this question of students the first day of class each semester.
The first answers to this questions are usually about the big picture.
Entrepreneurship matters because it creates jobs. Quite true. Kauffman Foundation research shows that if startups were removed from the U.S. since the 1970s, there would have been non net job growth since then, even as the workforce has grown substantially. Small businesses employ 80 percent of workers in the U.S., so take them out of the equation and there are serious problems. Large businesses are important and garner the bulk of publicity, but the real horsepower and dynamic for change in the economy comes from entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Entrepreneurship matters because it drives innovation. The innovations that define the modern world came from entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organizations. I type this post on a Macbook Air (Apple founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, 1976), using a WordPress application (WordPress founded by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, 2004), seated at HON desk and chair (HON founded by C. Maxwell Stanley in 1944), in my home that is heated and cooled by Lennox equipment (Lennox founded by David Lennox, 1895).
Entrepreneurship matters because it creates wealth. Entrepreneurs create the machines, methods, and systems that make us more productive, thus more wealthy. New businesses exhibit a ‘churn’ dynamic where innovative and successful firms grow rapidly and become a wellspring of jobs and economic growth, or quickly fail and exit the market, allowing capital to be put to more productive uses. Those with a mis-informed view of failure view the churn of startup firms as negative, but in fact this is the dynamic that represents progress in wealth creations.
Leaving the big picture behind, I ask students if entrepreneurship is important to them. Why might a university student care?
Typical answers from students include the attractiveness of being their own boss, the ability to earn more money if successful, the ability to design a lifestyle of their choosing, and the freedom to make an impact in markets they care about.
These answers are all good, but it draws them toward the idea that entrepreneurship may matter to them as young professionals because they should strive to live a professional life of impact and meaning.
Depending upon the source, more than one-half of Americans respond to surveys that they are not satisfied with their job. How bad is it that more than one-half of people report that they are unsatisfied with something that occupies the majority of their waking hours? At some point a person needs to take command of their professional life and make a change that positively impacts their satisfaction. Anything else is just excuse making.
Being an entrepreneur, starting a business, is indeed a powerful professional choice. Deciding to be entrepreneurial, however, is even a bigger one. It implies dedicating yourself to making an impact whether at your own business, someone else’s business, or even in a non-business setting.
Being entrepreneurial implies development of life skills.
- Critical thinking – The ability to ask the right questions. Knowledge and experience is valuable, but even more important is the ability to ask the right questions at the right time.
- Creative problem solving – A natural instinct is to avoid problems. An entrepreneurial instinct is to seek deeper understanding of problems and then search for solutions.
- Communication – The ability to persuade is the ability to lead. The two most powerful words in English: “Follow me.”
- Teamwork and networking – A fundamental part of the entrepreneurship process is organization building. If a business is to achieve any scale and long-lasting sustainability, it needs to build a winning culture, team, and network of supporters, customers, and stakeholders.
- Persistance – The value of an enterprise is related to its knowledge, and that knowledge builds through overcoming mistakes, learning from them, and doing things better as time goes on. It’s a process that never stops, so persistence through the inevitable ups and downs involved in anything of consequence is key.
Why does entrepreneurship matter to you? What is your vision for building your skills to be entrepreneurial?
August 23, 2016 at 11:49 am
Out of the 80% of working of Americans working for “small businesses,” I wonder how many are actually the or working the original entrepreneur? Given that depending on the industry, you could have 1,500 employees and still be considered a “small business” I would venture to guess that a lot of that 80% are not working for the direct entrepreneur any more.
Looking at the small town I call home, there are really 3 companies who were started by people I would consider very successful entrepreneurs. Two of them, a construction company and an excavating company, are still owned and mostly managed by the original entrepreneur. Both of them probably have in the neighborhood of 50-80 employees; pretty big for a “small business.”
The third company is a manufacturer that would likely employee 100-150 employees making it the largest employer in town. The difference in this company is it is no longer owned by the entrepreneur. Some of his relatives are still apart of the executive team, but the family no longer owns it, they sold to a company in Denmark.
I’m not trying to take away in any way the ongoing importance of entrepreneurs in our work force, I would just be curious to know what percentage of the workforce is actually either an entrepreneur or works for an entrepreneur.
-Keaton Keitzer
August 23, 2016 at 2:25 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because I also view it as a way of making things better whether that be specific products or systems. As an industrial engineer, my goal is to improve processes to help people – and entrepreneurs do that with every new startup business providing a new solution to a problem.
I strongly agree with the skill of critical thinking and the ability to ask the right questions. When discovering the root cause of a problem I think it is important to dig much deeper than just surface level questions but always good to start with the question “How can this be better?”
I also think there are large opportunities for everyone to be entrepreneurial in the workplace in general and I like the distinction between entrepreneurial and entreprenuer. I think there is always room for improvement in production systems, for example, and using such entrepreneurial skills in the workplace can help lead a team to improve or solve a problem.
-Anne Deutsch
August 23, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it provides opportunity for so many different people to do so many different things. In any industry I think there will always be the opportunity for entrepreneurs to find success and that is what makes it such an amazing thing.
In my opinion persistence is one of the most important characteristics an entrepreneur can contain, because you can never expect it to just come easy or be successful right away. There will always be road blocks along the way to building a successful business.
When it comes to building my entrepreneurial skills I think the most important thing would be to continue to network and meet the right people. Asking questions to people who have been through different experiences can be one of the best ways to learn. Also I think when building my entrepreneurial skills a very important thing is to never stop building and never stop learning, a lesson can be learned from every situation.
-Tyler Pierson
August 23, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it allows individuals to branch out from accepted career paths and potentially become industry game changers. These problem solving individuals have always been and will continue to be the driving force in product development.
For me creative problem solving is the biggest factor to whether or not you are an entrepreneur. After working on a sweetcorn farm for the past six years the owners ability to modify his equipment and labor practices to make our job easier were nothing short of amazing to me.
For me the end goal of being entrepreneurial is being able to listen to potential customers and be able to give them want they need, not what they want. Because anyone can identify a problem, but it takes a skilled individual to determine how to accurately solve the problem.
-Joe Gregoricka
August 24, 2016 at 12:49 pm
If you are able to find a “migraine problem” that exists within a consumer base then it will be so much easier to sell that solution or product to the consumer. You can do all the market research in the world before you enter that market. But the successful companies will always be the ones who are solving achilles heel problems that consumers face every day.
But the great thing about this field is that you can do that in many different areas. Entrepreneurship isn’t limited to just one or two fields of study. You can explore and look at many different things that interest you as a professional. But at the same time it is very important to keep the consumers problems within hindsight also. Because the ability to create different solutions to these problems for customers is the key to keeping your business successful.
August 24, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because without it we may not have the opportunity to be reading this blog and responding the way we are. Entrepreneurship drives innovation and innovation makes us more advanced in almost every aspect of life. The options are endless and no matter how good a system or technology is working, there is always advancements that can be made to make us further capable to do even more.
Whether that is in the medical field, technology field, agriculture field, or any other field, entrepreneurs are always making it more possible for the world we live in to become more advanced and efficient. In return it creates jobs (as stated above), raises or standards of living, and drives our overall quality of life. Without entrepreneurs there is few ways to advance in anything.
Overall, it is the driving factor that allows for innovation. That innovation makes even the impossible possible. Our world (or at least most of it) was created on the entrepreneurship principles and state of mind.
-Logan Reichter
August 24, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs are extremely important for economy employing around 80% of labors in the workforce and also driving innovation, and creating more wealth for all. Entrepreneurs are the base of the American economy. It is important to me because it means I can pursue my own dream of starting my own agricultural company. It will also help me mold my strengths and improve my weaknesses.
August 24, 2016 at 9:56 pm
I think we assign the term “entrepreneur” too liberally. Just because someone follows their dreams or starts a business does not, in my opinion, make them an entrepreneur. When identifying an entrepreneur what matters is their ability to identify problems that need solving, find a solution, bring that solution to market, and to build a business. An entrepreneur should be able to objectively set aside their personal feelings and make adjustments in their business in order to accommodate the customers and better solve the problem at hand.
I believe that I can improve my entrepreneurial skills by becoming a better planner, and clarifying my vision better. Having a good, clear plan is akin to having a well lit, straight path ahead.
August 25, 2016 at 10:31 am
Entrepreneurship matters to me because I think it offers students to be innovative and put their education to use. With the pace of our society and amount of technology i feel the opportunity for startups are endless in that you could solve problems and better peoples lives with a new idea to solve a “migraine problem.” I think of startups normally with two people in that you can compliment each other with strengths to be more successful.
August 25, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because without it, the modern day world would look much different then it does right now, maybe much different then it did over 100 years ago even. Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs help the world move forward by providing new ideas, businesses, experiences, etc. for the entire population. Anyone, if they choose, can be an entrepreneur if their ideas and skills are good enough. It gives anybody the chance to expand and share their ideas with the world and make it ultimately a better place.
My idea of building my skills to be entrepreneurial would be to work on my critical thinking and creative problem solving as it is lacking in some areas. I think to be a successful entrepreneur and always expanding on the next thing, you have to have a different way of thinking about things then what most people would.
August 25, 2016 at 1:44 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because without it there would be little creativity. Creativity is what drives the innovative products and services that are life changing. Along with innovative products, entrepreneurship has been the punch line for many powerful life-changing stories. Countless people have came from nothing and became huge success stories through entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is the true test of grit, perseverance, gut-insticts, and determination.
My vision for building my entrepreneurial skills are ever-changing. I think to develop essential skills, one should have a professional to look up to. Asking a lot of questions and for help from given professionals would strengthen and add new skills. I think another way I could build my entrepreneurial skills are by trial and error. Learning from mistakes can be the best way to learn.
August 25, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because I have watched both my dad and uncle start their own business from scratch. One failed the other has been very successful and yet they both love the fact that they pursued their ideas. I think entrepreneurship taps into a little bit of a wild side for people. It is different, unique, challenging and possibly thrilling a times. It is attractive to me because at the end of the day, whether you created a successful business or not, you put your everything into it and there is a sense of accomplishment in that.
My vision for building skills to become entrepreneurial is number one, to listen and number two, to experience. By listening, I believe that I will hear a lot of criticism that can be extremely helpful. Also, if I can learn from other people’s mistakes then that may save me a lot of trouble in the future. Other than that, the best way to learn how to solve problems is to see as many solutions as possible.
August 25, 2016 at 4:02 pm
To me Entrepreneurship marks progress. In this country I believe we have seen a slowing of progress within the last few years. I grew up in a city that at one point was the fastener capital of the world, most of which were family owned and ran businesses. Since the late 1980’s we have seen a decline. My city now has the 7th highest crime rate in the nation, and has an unemployment rate 1.3% higher than the rest of the state of Illinois. Giving back to the community that I was raised in has been a dream of mine since I can remember. Being an entrepreneur is one of the only ways to help achieve this dream, and help my community rebuild to what it used to be.
When I think of areas that I need to improve on to be entrepreneurial I think of creative problem solving. Entreprenuers are expected to have answers and have answers quick. Where as with me it takes time to come up with those answers.
-Ben Buchanan
August 25, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Entrepreneurship matters because it gives everyone a chance to leave their own mark. I was fortunate to grow up around a couple of very successful entrepreneurs. They both found that “Migraine Problem” in a certain industry and were able to fix it. Being an entrepreneur gives you a chance to do what makes you happy. It always seems like anyone who has there own business has a little fire in them. It builds character going through that much work to provide a good product.
My vision for building skills as an entrepreneur would be to take in everything around me. Sometimes I feel like I can go too focused on one problem that I don’t notice all of the other problems that could occur. By doing that I could find more solutions for the migraine problem.
August 25, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Entrepreneurship is important to me because I wouldn’t have the life I do now if my grandpa hadn’t started his own feed mill and elevator or if my dad hadn’t started his own farming operation. Owning and operating a farm is a business that requires the a lot of the same entrepreneurial skills that were listed in the article. My parents have to solve many problems, critical think about important decisions, have teamwork with the employees, and also communicate with banks for loans as well as larger feed mills or shipping places to sell grain.
I have gotten to see first hand just how much goes into owning your own business and I think it is very important for the economy of not only the small town I live in, but across the world. A definition from merriam-webster.com says that an entrepreneur is, “A person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money.” This definition shows just how dedicated most entrepreneurs have to be to grow into a successful business. Whether it’s my dad on the farm or the owner of a company that makes hair brushes, each entrepreneur is providing jobs, capitol, and resources to the people who need it and I think that is very important.
My vision for building my entrepreneurial skills is to practice them. I haven’t had much experience with making big decisions on my own or with communicating ideas to others so I think I will need to ultimately just start jumping in and getting experience.
August 25, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it means opportunities. Whether that is the opportunity to work for another entrepreneur or end up creating my own business, the possibilities are unlimited. These opportunities provide the chance to impact future generations positively and make a difference/change. I am in the agriculture industry where entrepreneurship is extremely valuable and important. An agricultural entrepreneur may be someone who sells seed, has their own agronomy business or develops a new technology to continue advancing and improving the ways we feed the world.
My vision for building my entrepreneurial skills is to focus on my creativity and critical thinking, and embrace new life experiences. I will continue my education and take advantage of a variety of internship and work opportunities which may lead to entrepreneurship. I haven’t had a lot of involvement with entrepreneurs so I am eager to learn more about entrepreneurship and all that it encompasses.
August 25, 2016 at 11:22 pm
The thought that struck me the most in this article was the idea of the constant churning of startups. While typically seen as negative, it actually helps only the best ideas and businesses to succeed leading to greater progress. The startups that make it past the initial phase of competition typically have some competitive advantage and go on to create the job growth that is discussed in this article.
I am surprised that there isn’t more of a trend of increased net job change in existing firms as more and more revenue is devoted to R&D and continuous improvement. It would seem that as large companies invest more in progress that there would be less room for startups to enter the market.
Entrepreneurship is important because there needs to be someone that is willing to take the gamble on something new. Much innovation results from entrepreneurs that see something that can be improved and devote all of their time and effort to make it happen.
Of the many skills to become entrepreneurial, I think that knowledge, problem solving, and persistence are the most important. Being intelligent and being able to solve a problem in a new or better way is what gives a startup that competitive advantage. Working though the ups and downs of business is what makes the startup survive.
August 26, 2016 at 1:29 am
Entrepreneurship matters because it is the driver of our economy and it is the American Dream to be your own boss. Entrepreneurship not only helps with personal development, but it also builds better businessmen. The experience that you gain from being your own boss and managing people is something unlike anything else, in my opinion. The quote that entrepreneurs strive to “live a professional life of impact and meaning,” hits home to me. This quote has impacted me by making me feel that in order to be a productive member of society, I must do something valuable. That’s why being an entrepreneur is a true test to see if you have what it takes to create more value in a society.
I think the best way to build entrepreneurial skills is by trial and error. The only way to get better at something is by trying and practicing. First I need to identify a migraine problem for my target customers. After that, there is a lot of planning and knowledge seeking to take off with any idea. That by itself requires a lot of skills that I’ll keep developing for the rest of my life. The most important skills, in my opinion, are things like general people skills, leadership, passion (true grit as we have seen in class) and good common sense to make the right decisions.
-George Ferrell
August 26, 2016 at 9:55 am
I believe that Entrepreneurship is a very large driver of the nations economy. Without the jobs it creates, the products it makes, and the wealth that it produces, there’s no telling how far back we might be on the economic scale. Just looking at the jobs alone. Where would all of these people be working if someone hadn’t stepped up and taken a risk? Or would they even be working? Could “big business” employ even a fraction of these 80%? Thank goodness we don’t ever have to know.
Two of the entrepreneurial skills really stood out to me. The first is critical thinking. I think that with that, people can change the world. Knowledge of something and all around understanding is very important to becoming successful. The second skill is Persistence. When you persevere under trials, you come out a great successor. Persistence will lead to success, if you have the knowledge to persist in the right direction.
August 26, 2016 at 11:15 am
Entrepreneurship’s matter to me because it has held my family together since the day I was born. My mother and father are both sucessful entrepreneurs and I hope to one day follow in their footsteps. Both of my parents have created many jobs for other people and this is important for the economy we live in today.
Some of the skills listed above are part of my vision of building skills to be a entrepreneur. Communication skills and networking for very important, many teachers and colleauges have told me its not what you know, its who you know and I could not agree more with that statement. Over the last three years I have made many connections and have used my communication skills to my benefit. Teamwork is another important on to me. For my dads sake without his team he would not be able to complete the things he can today. My dad is one of the most respectful and loyal people I know. He would do anything for his employees and is always bending over backwards for each one of them. Staying persist and overcoming problems is very important in any business.
August 26, 2016 at 11:52 am
Entrepreneurship matters to me for a variety of reasons. First off Entrepreneurship is the backbone of the United States. with small businesses counting for 80% of the economy we wouldn’t live in the society we do without it. Second I grew up on a farm run by my father and uncle my entire life has been supported by a small business even if it isn’t something new or exciting farming is still a small business. Finally entrepreneurship gives me something exciting to look forward to when I graduate, as i will be looking to start a small business of my own on top of farming.
August 26, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it is the American dream. Everyone has the natural right to free enterprise and in my humble opinion they should take advantage of that. Not only to be your own boss but to control you and your families fate, to invest your whole existence into something you are passionate about and live for it every day, that is what is important to me in life. I don’t necessarily see it as a way to just get rich, I think there are a lot of successful entrepreneurs who make a decent living by providing others something that can give them a greater quality of life. I plan to build my entrepreneurial skills by putting in hard work and studying what successful business’ did to become successful.
August 26, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it is what prevents society from becoming stagnant. There is endless value behind solving “migraine problems”. Finding solutions to those problems can benefit many. The thought of creating that value is why entrepreneurship matters to me. With agriculture being such an important part of society, it makes solutions to any ag related problems even more valuable.
To become more entrepreneurial, I need to become more aware of the problems and shortcomings around me. I can’t create valuable solutions when I can’t even recognize where solutions are needed. Then, when I become better at analyzing these problems and which ones would have the most valuable solutions.
August 26, 2016 at 2:02 pm
In a very general sense, the modern world was built by entrepreneurs. What I mean by that, is that entrepreneurs are what keep the world moving forward. New ideas are crucial in a growing economy, and innovators, inventors, and creators are what consumers depend on to offer them new products and services.These new product and service offerings will, hopefully, end up offering some form of utility to consumers. Ideally, what entrepreneurs offer to consumers will make their lives better in some way. This is why I think entrepreneurship matters. Entrepreneurs are people creating concepts, pursuing their dreams, and, when their ideas become successful, making others’ lives more enjoyable.
August 26, 2016 at 5:02 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it allows for opportunity. In the agriculture industry there is always ways to improve efficiency and thanks to entrepreneurship, items we need are being produced. Not only do you tie agriculture things to other agriculture things, you can combine industries to get the greatest possible outcome. Not only does entrepreneurship offer opportunity to industries, but to individuals as well. It allows those passionate, motivated individuals to excel and accomplish their goals.
My vision for building my entrepreneurial skills is to strengthen my critical thinking and problem solving skills. I’m the kind of person who always sees the big picture but struggles to break it down and figure out a solution to a problem or to find a way to simply fix the problem. I’m not devoted enough to see a problem and think I can come up with the next best way to solve it. That’s why I greatly appreciate those individuals who can, it takes a truly dedicated and patient person to be an entrepreneur.
August 26, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Entrepreneurship Matters to me because it plays an important role in the economy as a whole. Without entrepreneurs where would we be as a country? I’m not saying that the other larger businesses don’t matter but when you think about it, there would be a lot of missing components to our country if we didn’t have entrepreneurs.
Also, When I think of Entrepreneurs being a big part of our economy I think of one of the main things my hometown is known for and that’s Winnebago Industries. It started off as a small motorhome business, but then as the years went on it became a huge staple in the RV industry and is considered one of the leaders. Without them, our town wouldn’t have grown the way it has and the income from the employees that live my hometown help support a good infrastructure and keep other small businesses going.
August 26, 2016 at 7:40 pm
In reality, entrepreneurship drives the world; individuals are driving to sell themselves to become poised for success in their respective fields. Each person with his/her showcasing his/her skills allows for people to pursue greatness which is to me is the American dream. The characteristics of entrepreneurship essentially runs the American society which is enlightening to me; especially in regard to the agricultural sector.
Entrepreneurship matters to me because my goal is to run a small precision agriculture business. I love the idea of being my own boss and providing jobs for people. I think being an entrepreneur gives a life of more meaning than just getting a regular job because you can be the point of change in an industry.
August 28, 2016 at 1:09 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because when I graduate from college i want to move back home and run the family farm as well as take over my parents other business they have started over the years. I like that I can be my own boss and make my own decisions and not have to take orders from someone up above me. Also I feel running your own business shows that you are hard worker and willing to do what it takes to run a successful business. I also feel that being an entrepreneur gives the opportunity to improve your local economy by crating jobs and revenue to employees and the state. I plan on learning how to run a business by having my dad help me choose the right steps and choices to run a successful business. Right now i am farming a few acres just to get a taste of what it is like to run a small businesses.
August 28, 2016 at 2:14 pm
When I think of entrepreneurship, I think of the American dream that all individuals have the opportunity to work hard and be successful. People have the option to put their whole life’s work into something they are passionate about and that’s what drives societies advancements. Entrepreneurship is important to me because I have the freedom to decide what I want to do with my life. Since I was a child, I have always wanted manage my own farm operation. Just like many other farmers/ entrepreneurs, I will have to use critical thinking skills to ask the right questions such as “what can I do to make my farm more successful?” and “how can I make my farm operation stand out from others?” Another important life skill that I associate with agribusinesses is persistence. Agriculture has had some of the greatest economic ups and downs historically so it is crucial that entrepreneurs in agriculture are persistent.
August 28, 2016 at 2:22 pm
Entrepreneurship keeps the economy alive. it is not just for large cities. My small town of Ida Grove, IA would have been a ghost town if it wasn’t for entrepreneurship. The entrepreneurship of one business (Gomaco) provides enough income for our town to: fund a hospital, open a recreation center, and keep the school open. Also the success of this business allows smaller businesses to stay open. Restaurants, gas stations, body shops, and banks all benefit from the success of Gomaco.
Entrepreneurship is very achievable if you have potential clients. It would be beneficial if the customers are suffering from a migraine problem. With the right idea, the right business plan, and the right clientele; entrepreneurship is attainable.
August 28, 2016 at 3:46 pm
Why does entrepreneurship matter to you? What is your vision for building your skills to be entrepreneurial?
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it creates opportunity. It allows creativity and thinking outside of the box, and most importantly it allows people to dream and be able to make their dreams become reality. My vision for building my skills to be entrepreneurial is to start out by figuring out what I’m interested in, what kind of needs do we have around the farm, what goes on in the day to day operations and make the connection of where there needs to be improvements or something needs to be created to help things move smoothly or find something that needs to be created to improve our daily operations. Then I would need to learn about business and how businesses operate so I can create and build a business if I were to create one. These are the first steps I would take when building my entrepreneurial skills.
August 28, 2016 at 4:13 pm
When I think of where I want to be in the future, I have never thought of myself as an entrepreneur. However, I recognize that entrepreneurial qualities are still important to me in my future career. It comes to a related concept called intrapreneurialism. This involves utilizing those same qualities that entrepreneurs use to build a business to instead build the company you are already a part of.
I hope that, when I get into the workplace, I can be in a place to innovate and improve our work environment on a daily basis. Even some of the largest names in agriculture, such as John Deere and Monsanto, can go nowhere if they aren’t constantly trying to improve themselves. I think that a lot of this responsibility comes down to the employees that take on the company’s toughest problems first-hand.
August 28, 2016 at 10:44 pm
Entrepreneurship helps us be more creative and thoughtful. it brings a better management of our resource and improve our lifestyles, in order to maintain a sustainable society. It gives us a possibility to make our thoughts come true.
Through critical thinking and networking skills to solve my finical problem, I believe it can help me to spend my money wisely, and manage my budget smartly. So If I were running my own business, I would not run into bankrupt quickly.
August 28, 2016 at 10:54 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me, and the reason I think that it is so vital in our country is because the potential of it skys the limit. The success of your business often times depends on how much time and effort gets put into it. I believe this can be so rewarding for the hard working entrepreneurs in this country. I believe that the idea of being an entrepreneur motivates those in the work force to someday become one themselves, I believe it motivates them to work hard in their current position so that someday they may have the opportunity to start something on their own.
As far as building skills to become an entrepreneur, I believe it is very important to work under good leadership where the business experience can be obtained without the risk factor of jumping into a business and learning those things in the middle of trying to get your company on its feet.
Jordan Wagenbach
August 29, 2016 at 8:50 am
Entrepreneurship is a driving factor in producing better solutions and pushing innovation. If it wasn’t for entrepreneurs, than the market would become stagnant and no improvements would ever take place. Competition fuels innovation, and I believe that innovation drives the creation of jobs. If innovators are abundant than more and more businesses will open, therefore creating jobs for any sized community.
To realize capturing your inventiveness, I think you need to have seen a successful innovator take an idea, find a market, and execute a business plan. Nobody is going to have the perfect plan right off of the bat, but you can take the good and bad from another persons experience and use that to help you make the correct decisions.
Brody Brownlee
August 29, 2016 at 12:20 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because of the opportunities it allows. It allows any person with a vision and a dream to go out and chase that dream down. It allows for anybody with the right skill set to begin a company that can change an industry and potentially make lots of money. Entrepreneurship also allows for individuals to start new businesses and create a competitive marketplace for different industries.
I think it is crucial for entrepreneurs to have many skills to be successful. But I think it is very important to have creative problem solving skills. It is important to be able to think quick and to be able to create new solutions to new problems. Creating new solutions to new problems also allows for the opportunity to create new products in an effort to capitalize on people’s other “migraine” problems.
August 29, 2016 at 2:54 pm
I am a creative, independent and resourceful individual who would describe themselves as a risk taker and the idea of creating my own business excites me, even though there is room for failure. When I was a junior in high school, we were required to take that hour long test that tells us what we should do for the rest of our lives. After spending all of that time, the result I got was “inventor.” I still remember sitting at that desk fuming because nobody goes to college to be an inventor.
In a way, entrepreneurship is a lot like inventing. Entrepreneurship matters because I know that if there isn’t a job out their for me, I can create it. I think being an entrepreneur is the biggest way we can utilize the democracy we live in and the biggest way we can impact the world around us. After my internship this summer, I found out I would like to be my own boss and I hope that someday I can accomplish that.
August 29, 2016 at 2:57 pm
Entrepreneurship is important to me because I think that I am affected by entrepreneurship in some aspect of my everyday life. A lot of the things that I own have come from entrepreneurial businesses. Also, the internships that I have had have been at businesses started by entrepreneurs. I think it is great that people have the chance to take an idea they have and run with it and maybe create a new product.
My vision for building my skills to be entrepreneurial is that I will always keep trying new things. Whether this is with school, internships, or future jobs, I will continue to try new things to see what I am good at and what I need to work on. I will not be afraid of making a mistake or failure because that is one of the most beneficial ways of seeing how you can improve.
August 29, 2016 at 7:07 pm
To me entrepreneurship is important because society changes we depend on entrepreneurs to help us solve new problems our world faces in creative, yet economically sustainable ways. I have a belief that to thrive you must be able to adapt to changes in the world around you. As we learn more about our world around us it only seems natural to apply information and technologies to better the lives of ourselves and others.
Deep down I think some of the simplest examples of entrepreneurship being vital to our society can be shown in the changes that can be observed after our ancestors first started using tools. We as humans realized how we can use our minds to come up with ways to make difficult tasks easier. We continued this trend of discovery and now I am typing on a computer that is illuminated with electricity that may have come from rivers and weather patterns that have been in place for thousands of years. We didn’t invent water, wind, or fire but where we did make strides was discovering tools to utilize the potential that is around us. To me entrepreneurship is just as important as the drive for human progrssion.
August 29, 2016 at 9:23 pm
My high school biology teacher was assessed with assigning me one word to describe me when I was a junior in high school. The word she gave me was determined, she said “Lizzy, whatever you put your mind to, there’s no stopping you”. Entrepreneurship means to me chasing my dreams and making them happen. I have had dreams of starting my own non-profit since I was in high school and after visiting with fellow scholars at the GE Reagan Retreat in California I realized the need for teaching agriculture. I have a deep passion for agriculture and teaching and I would love to open a camp for kids to have a divine agricultural experience who otherwise would not. The project will take a decent amount of time but I believe anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Entrepreneurship means hard work and perseverance to me.
As an entrepreneur you need to gain the skills needed to overcome obstacles thrown your way and have the grit to pull through. I envision myself growing and strengthening my life skills throughout college and beyond. I believe my leadership experiences within Agronomy Club has allowed me to strengthen my communication and teamwork skills by presenting me with opportunities to connect with other members, the executive team, professors, and industry professionals. This has also allowed me to create an extensive network of people within the agronomy industry. I have also strengthened my critical thinking and problem solving skills through several upper level, challenging courses such as organic chemistry. I envision further developing all of the skills mentioned above in this class through creating the project and collaborating with others in the class and panelists.
~Elizabeth Widder
September 4, 2016 at 2:28 pm
Where I’m from (Africa), Entrepreneurship determines whether you sleep hungry or not, whether you get access to medical assistance or not. On the great side, we’re the untapped potential of the world. Soon to be the youngest continent in the world, Entrepreneurship is one of the things that will ensure Africa makes an invaluable contribution to global society as we introduce 100’s of millions of Africans onto the ”world’s stage.”
Entrepreneurship is our Hope, Entrepreneurship is our LifeBlood!”
September 8, 2016 at 11:09 am
Entrepreneurship matters for several different reasons, in my opinion. First without entrepreneurs there would be no advancement in technology or way of life. There would be no desire to make things better. Entrepreneurs solve problems that are a “migraine” to other people. Unlike other jobs entrepreneurs have to put in the time, effort, and resources to be successful. They can not just put the absolute minimum and get by, if they do this their business will not be around for too long.
I believe that there are several skills that one learns over time that molds them into an entrepreneur. Whenever, one works for someone else they see what it takes to run a business. They see the dedication, time, an effort that is put into a business. If you are not passionate about doing this then chances are you will not be a successful entrepreneur.
Luke Muegge
September 8, 2016 at 8:04 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because that is what moves our society ahead. It takes people with creativity and knowledge to form a business. With more businesses there is more market competition, with more market competition there is more reward for developing new/better products. Competition and entrepreneurs are what drives innovation in our life.
Entrepreneurial skills that I would like to build are the following: management of employees, market opportunity recognition, and the startup process. This are the 3 that I think I need the most work on, but I know that there are many skills that go into being a successful entrepreneur.
-Michael Christenson
September 18, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because that is our future. As a society we are always changing and becoming more integrated. Entrepreneurs have made our lives easier in so many ways it is unreal and they are so important because they help solve “migraine problems.”
I believe there are many many skills to become a great entrepreneur. There are going to many bumps in the road in order to become successful but you have to learn from. You have to learn from other entrepreneurs around you and ask lots of questions. Throughout my college career my life skills have changed greatly. I am more organized, driven, motivated, and involved than I was before.
Abby Bravad
October 21, 2016 at 8:22 am
The beauty of being an entrepreneur is that you’re never out of a job — even if that job is self created. Entrepreneurs are possibility thinkers and have the ability to identify hidden opportunities that others overlook.
November 27, 2016 at 12:29 pm
This is one of the great post i have ever read about entrepreneurship and it’s influence.Great post mr.Kevin…
December 10, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it brings new ideas and alternatives to the everyday lifestyle, whether one lives in the city or comes from rural areas. As a society we rely on entrepreneurs to develop new ideas and tools to help progress through the ages. For example, the group that gives us the best chance at reaching Mars isn’t headed up by NASA or another government program but is actually being driven by Elon Musk. The new products and ideas that entrepreneurs bring to the market help improve the efficiency of practically everything we do. Even such a little product such as Yeti Ramblers and ice chests most likely help reduce waste from plastic bottles and food waste.
December 10, 2016 at 3:25 pm
Entrepreneurship matters to me because it allows people with a good idea, or passion to make the world a better place. Many things in my life wouldn’t exist today without the presence of entrepreneurs in our own society, and I believe that they have made the world we live in a better place. For building my own skills I think that this class has set me on a good path to becoming entrepreneurial just by changing the way I think about things, and changing my perspective on certain things as well. I think that it will help me greater in my future when I assume my job back home as well.
January 5, 2017 at 6:15 am
Great article Kevin. To me Entrepreneurship is all about using your creative imagination to solve problems for millions of people. Creating and building on ideas every day and then having the faith, courage and persistence to turn your ideas into profitable reality. Hopefully whilst also doing something that you love.
January 16, 2017 at 10:59 am
Great article!
March 30, 2017 at 1:22 pm
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