During yesterday’s (March 12, 2013) discussion portion of “The View” the panelists were discussing the occupation of The Bachelor, Sean Lowe, who had described himself as an ‘entrepreneur’.
“When you were described as an ‘entrepreneur’, you don’t have an actual ‘job’,” opined Barbara Walters, in relation to his job description. I stood there, shocked. She didn’t clarify, or go too much further on it. I was hoping that she was going to, but she didn’t. The panel just continued to talk about the finale of the series.
I got really ticked, but as I continued to think on it, she’s not the only one that thinks this way about the word ‘entrepreneur’. My own family asked me when I started my business, “When are you going to get a ‘real’ job?” even though they knew my decision, and what I did for a living. I explained numerous times, as well as gave them samples of what I did, so they could understand firsthand. After a few months, I had to come to this conclusion –
They just don’t get it.
In that generation, the goal WAS the job, and a good paycheck. It wasn’t necessary to run the business, but if you worked really hard, and the boss noticed, he’d take you under his wing, mentor you, and in a few decades, you’d run a part of it. They were raised to work for someone else. You had either trained to get a skill, or it was inherent, but punching a clock and getting a check was a goal, not a stepping stone. You were educated to be a good worker, not to run the business.
Then, I had a new thought – She’s right.
Entrepreneurs DON’T have a job. They have a PASSION. Their job isn’t from 9-5. It consumes them. Entrepreneurs see things differently than everyone else does, and works to try it out. Does it pull down a consistent check? No. It can pull down more, it can also be less. Would an entrepreneur be happy working for someone else? Maybe at first, but the call to work for yourself is always in the background. Is it hard? YES. Is it scary? Can it be tiring? It can be, but damn, it is exhilarating. I can say without a doubt, that I am glad I took the leap, because the alternative was driving me crazy.
The Anatomy of an Entreprenur, Source – heritageandyork.com
So without hesitation I say, “My name is Sonia, and I am an entrepreneur.”
