Down With Entrepreneurship’s Glamour
This is a guest post by my good friend Carlos Miceli who blogs at Owl Sparks.
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We are a “hype” culture.
Every time some topic gets some buzz going on, we start associating it with as many stories, movies, and anecdotes as possible.
Why? Because it sells. It makes the topic recyclable.
There’s one worrying consequence because of this: Glamour.
This is what’s happening with entrepreneurship. It’s been glamourized, and we are ignoring it.
We are focusing on the nice part, we are embracing incomplete versions of what being an entrepreneur is like. Countless people are choosing the path without really knowing why (yes, we are that susceptible).
Their lack of work and life experience, combined with society’s pressure to succeed, makes them rush to the prettiest goal possible. And what’s prettier than running your own company, doing what you want, how you want?
Besides listening to all the Mark Zuckenbergs and Steve Jobs, we should also be listening to all the people that failed at it. Not because fear of failure should affect our goals, but because only when you’re ready to overcome the things that others before you couldn’t, it’s when you will realize that the goal is truly your own.
Two quotes from my friend Stephen Dodson:
- “People are too focused with the end result of success, not necessarily the process of getting there or the field they’re in. I think one of the great human tragedies is the disconnect between what people think will make them happy and what actually does.”
- “All successful people feel some type of urgency to be successful, but taken to an extreme, this causes people to over-prioritize signaling, and undervalue what’s really important: Life is time. Make sure you spend it well.”
To hell with books and blogs about things that you can only learn by doing.
Listen to those who tell you what sucks about this lifestyle more than what’s great about it, because there are already hundreds of people out there trying sell you the “dream”.
Entrepreneurship is hard. Statistically speaking, it’s probably not for you.
So don’t buy into the glamour, know yourself, do some research, accept luck and most importantly, be ready to work your ass off.
Oh, and don’t rush into novelty. It’s never as good as it sounds.
Now, you can start your own company. Good luck.
[Photo by: Miss Lulu]
Really good reality check here. It’s true that entrepreneurship is not for everyone, and I’m glad you brought up the issue and discussed it so concisely and elegantly.
Thanks my friend, elegant does sound good, doesn’t it?
I like your take here. Few things in life are all good or all bad. Entreprenuership is certainly one venture that has plenty of pros and cons. I started my business right after college so working for myself is pretty much all I’ve ever known. I can really relate to the point you have above about feeling a sense of urgency. If I’m not working I feel like I’m falling behind. Some might call that “drive” and say its a good thing. Others might say I need to relax and enjoy life’s precious moments a bit more. Good and bad.
I don’t think we should “over-doubt” our life decisions just because they seem weird to other people. For some people, working a lot is good. If you are one of them, then let it be Jon.
I found this very interesting, Carlos. I think your post speaks to the idea of perception and image…how do we want others to view us?
If we were asked individually how much the actions and opinions of others influence us, we’d probably say that we are pretty independent and think for ourselves. Still, social scientists tell us that we are greatly influenced by social pressure whether we admit/realize it or not.
The burgeoning glamour of being of being an entrepreneur might make it trendy for young professionals, who are active on Twitter, read all sorts of blogs, understand personal branding etc. The successful stories of entrepreneurship are alot more commonly told in those circles than the statistically-more common tales of failure. To that extent, I see your point.
However, outside of that bubble, how many people are thinking about dipping their toes in the water of being an entrepreneur? I wish, in more classrooms and especially in inner cities, being an entrepreneur was MORE encouraged, and that more young minds would grow up believing they could pursue their ideas and believing that they have the ability to start something that could one day be bigger than ever imagined?
Sure, by the numbers, most would fail. But I think even the idea of being an entrepreneur can be empowering, and can encourage us to come up with brilliant ideas we never thought we had in us.
I think you make a great point Stephen, one that I overlooked.
I agree with you, we do need more entrepreneurs, but we don’t need more lost people. I don’t think you are either an entrepreneur or an employee. I think that we need to do what we feel it’s right at each moment. The problem is people trying to pursue these goals without purpose. They want to start companies, without passionate ideas. That won’t work.
Seems to me that what is commonly not mentioned is the value in running your business, knowing that it might not support you financially in the near future (if ever). Is that a failure? Depends on your goals. But having run a couple businesses, both successfully and not so much, there is exponential gain in taking the reins of something that big and complex, regardless of the monetary return on investment.
In that case, I would strongly agree with Stephen, more people should be encouraged to take on entrepreneurial ventures, but do it knowing that it might not be the dream of fortune they foresee.
Agreed Kristin, this is pretty much what I’m trying to say on my post. Stephen and you make a great point regarding the lack of entrepreneurs, but they should face the challenge with a clear vision of what to expect from it.
I don’t actually think entrepreneurship is hyped. My impression is that most people really want prestigious careers in their industries. I don’t know a ton of people who are serious about entrepreneurship and actually starting their own companies - most people don’t even know where to start with that.
Two thoughts:
1) Just because one is hyped, doesn’t mean the other can’t be. Even so, I see the dream corporate job as the traditional dream, while the entrepreneurial dream is the current fad.
2) Tim Ferris, Gary Vaynerchuk, to name a few. You don’t think they have convinced hundreds of people to got after the start-up path? That’s where susceptibility comes in, that’s where the hype starts.
Great post Carlos,
You also do well in a longer post format like this.
As usual, I agree completely. Many people want the apparently glamorous lifestyle of billionaires. Meeting celebrities, flying in private jets, speaking at conferences, maybe even dinner at the White House. “Forget the cubicle, I want to be an entrepreneur!”
Unfortunately, we always celebrate the ultra-successful and ignore the 99.99 % of those following behind them.
When I was in university I had a stream of start ups with varying success or lack there of. I thought I was smarter and better then everyone in the world. In fact, I fully expected to have taken over the world by now.
For whatever reasons, I never made it to the cover of FastCompany magazine and I am still working hard in my small business and working on other start ups. I enjoy the process so I certainly have no regrets.
However, expecting entrepreneurship to be much more exciting and enriching then working for someone else is bound to leave a lot of people disappointed. All work has tedious and boring components. There are many people out there selling a dream that if you do what you love, it doesn’t count as work. That is only hype to sell products and services.
When values are shaped by Hollywood action movies and fashion magazines, it is far too easy to get caught up in a particular end result rather than valuing the process. You don’t need to be an entrepreneur to live in the now. In fact, I would say if you are unable to enjoy the good in what you are doing now, you probably won’t find it starting your own company either.
“I would say if you are unable to enjoy the good in what you are doing now, you probably won’t find it starting your own company either.”
Fantastic John, well said.
“I would say if you are unable to enjoy the good in what you are doing now, you probably won’t find it starting your own company either.”
I’m afraid I can’t agree to this. There are just some situations or circumstances in life which you can’t find any good to enjoy in. This applies to the job you’re working in too. Whenever we find ourselves in such situation, it is only common sense to move elsewhere or do something else.
Cheers~
Mark
How about Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl?
“I had wanted simply to convey to the reader by way of concrete example that life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones. And I thought that if the point were demonstrated in a situation as extreme as that in a concentration camp, my book might gain a hearing. I therefore felt responsible for writing down what I had gone through, for I thought it might be helpful to people who are prone to despair.”
I must say, that I agree with John here, Mark. Every miserable moment in my life, has proven to be valuable looking back. Also, appreciating the good in every situation, is not only a great way to live, but also a must, considering that some people are always worse than you are. Most of our problems, aren’t real problems.
Valid points. I agree. Life isn’t about the end-goal, it’s about the journey. May we not lose sight of that. And may we not forget about the things that won’t always be there: relationships, friends, and family.
If only were that easy Matt… More people should think that way.
Love this, Carlos! You beat me too it… I’ve been thinking of something along these lines. Now that every single e book and blog I see seems to be about how to leave the rat race and go into business for yourself, I can’t help but feel this is just the latest fad.
Granted, there are people who are MUCH better suited to be their own boss, either because they have genuine, value-added ideas worth pursuing, or because they have serious issues following someone else’s rules. But, for the majority, I honestly don’t feel like entrepreneurship is the answer.
Whenever I hear the canned speeches about all the freedom of being your own boss, I think back to a good part of my childhood, teens and college years, when my dad ran his own company out of our home. Sure, he could buy some cool toys (like “company” planes), and set his own schedule… but it was a FULL schedule. Every moment… day, night, weekend, vacation, was a working moment. EVERY encounter was a possible business connection. Regular, non-business life was practically non-existent.
He worked in promotions, with the Coca Cola company being one of his main clients, and to this day (I’m almost 36) I cannot drink a Pepsi without feeling guilty. Talk about brainwashing!
When you are in business for yourself, it can consume you. This MIGHT be great for you, if you are doing something you love anyway, but what about your family? Did they also choose the 24/7 focus on that one thing YOU love?… the feast or famine nature of many small businesses?
I’m just saying… it’ ain’t for everyone. Thanks, Carlos (for making me feel like I’m not alone in this.)
Another great point: what about the people you are getting involved in this “dream” of yours? Once again, I see people not considering the possibilities enough.
The problem is clear: we think it’s easy, like a Hollywood movie. We overlook the hard parts, which are usually more than the good ones.
Hi Carlos,
Thanks so much for telling it like it is. There is indeed the Unglamour side of being an entrepreneur. This is all the more why one needs to be in a business he/she is passionate about and not just in it for the money. Having said that, one also needs to face the reality that in the start-up phase, there will be certain aspects or tasks that you will hate, e.g. cold calling, door-knocking, washing the toilet, doing research, distributing flyers, etc.
Nevertheless, I’d still strongly encourage someone to take a shot at it if he/she has been thinking about going the less travelled path.
“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” - Sydney J. Harris
Cheers~
Mark
Agreed here Mark. I think that it’s ok to go for the entrepreneurial life if you have something real, something deep in your heart pushing you that way. But not as a pre-established path. It shouldn’t be a choice. It’s a circumstance.
Yes yes 100-kabillion times yes (I may have just made up that number…)
I also think that entrepreneurs (ESPECIALLY those that write books/blogs, do public speaking, etc.) need to be more realistic about the life of an entrepreneur. When I wrote about vomit moments a couple weeks ago (times when you know you are doing the right thing but it is so overwhelming/scary/real that you kinda feel like throwing up) most people responded that while they agreed they didn’t like thinking of it in terms of such yuckiness. I wanted to just write back a blanket comment “Well, that’s cause following your dreams isn’t ALWAYS pretty.”
I’d challenge each those who are chasing the possibility of entrepreneurship and self-employment to share as equally the beauty and glamour of the act as the ugliness and dirtiness of it.
Is there any part of life that’s always pretty?
Would we even enjoy life if everything would be awesome?
Hey guys! Here is another article I found on the “Glamour” of being an entrepreneur.
A Peek Into The Glamourous Life Of A Small Business Owner
Don’t be fooled by the title. It’s actually a dig at the small business owner’s life. It gives you a very real insight into what a small business owner is up against… and it’s really funny too.
Enjoy!
Cheers~
Mark
Thanks for sharing that Mark. I posted the link to twitter. I wanted to give you credit but I couldn’t find your twitter username.
John
Great post. Entrepreneurship is a great way of living, but it really isn’t for everyone. It’s especially not for the people on the outside thinking that it’s a great way of living.
It’s something you have to be driven to do. It’s not for everyone.
I agree with your friend Stephen Dodson’s quote “People are too focused with the end result of success, not necessarily the process of getting there or the field they’re in.” It’s so true.
Just wrote a blog post about this — http://bit.ly/4FdBL
I agree that the difficult part of entrepreneurship is downplayed and even ignored. As you alluded, entrepreneurship is probably the single most difficult path a person can take in their life. Is the would-be entrepreneur up for the challenge? Who knows? Only time will tell.
One of the memorable things I recall reading about entrepreneurship is that successful entrepreneurs gave the advice of - be ready to fail. And once you fail, get ready to fail again. And of course from this failure success will arise. For many a successful entrepreneur story there is a story of that same entrepreneur hitting rock bottom and living in their car at some point. Certainly not for everyone, but most assuredly for the determined.