The Promise of Entrepreneurship… is bigger always better?
We are made to believe that when it comes to business success, bigger is always better. In our super-sized, consumption-oriented culture, not even small business is exempt from the pressure to grow for growth’s sake. We fixate on top-line revenue growth and increasing numbers of employees and locations. We pepper entrepreneurs with questions such as, ‘What are your plans for expansion? What’s next? How many cities will you go to?’ instead of asking what their goals are or why they started their business in the first place. When talk about growth we focus on speed, not sustainability. When we talk about success we focus on size, not satisfaction.
So much so that entrepreneurs doubt their own success and skill if they aren’t pursuing the largest form of their business possible. We’ve talked with countless business owners who run profitable ventures, make a good living, enjoy what they do every day, and have significant impact in their industry—but who also hesitate to call themselves successful. Why? Because their companies could be bigger, or they decided not to open several more locations, or they don’t have the largest market share—even though these are not the things that they want.
We believe that it doesn’t have to be this way. There is an alternative that is both rewarding and attainable—it just requires rethinking things a bit…
Another gem from ChangeThis.com by Adelaide Lancaster
“The World Needs Female Entrepreneurs Now More Than Ever”…
Indeedy, it does!
The key point I’d like to point out in this fine article is this:
Becoming an Entrepreneur does not require
any shifts in corporate culture.
In fact, becoming a Business Owner does not require changing any societal norms at all. It does require however a distinct shift in your own internal thinking in combination with your family’s particular circumstances.
So… why not be opportunistic and bold in 2012, and become a “3%” member? (refer last post)
You can always tap into the entrepreneurial mothers group if you need support…
The Micropreneur Manifesto: How to Stay Solo, Bleed Passion, and Build Products that Matter…
By Rob Walling for ChangeThis.com.
Single founders creating products for niche markets are known by another name: micropreneurs.
Micropreneurs may write software. They might design themes for a blogging platform. They may produce exquisite wedding invitations, or how-to books. Micropreneurs are agile, inspired, independent, knowledge seekers who can’t live with the 9-to-5 status quo.
If this resonates with you, read on. This manifesto attempts to distill the key points you’ll need as you begin your micropreneur journey.
I learned every one of them the hard way…
Again, whilst I’m not fussed on yet another version of the entrepreneur tag, Rob offers plenty of good stuff to assist in alleviating start-up pain that we have all experienced in some form or other. Enjoy!
Happy International Women’s Day…
and here’s to the launch of “The Feminine Entrepreneur” (by delightful fellow entrepreneurial mother, Cath Resnick)…
If there were more “Cath’s” around, the world would be a better place…
and to illustrate what I mean, she shares the first of her insights in this article.
Enjoy!
