The way we think about entrepreneurship is broken - Willem Gous

The way we think about entrepreneurship is broken

Entrepreneurship is broken because of the way we think and talk about it. Most people, when asked to describe an entrepreneur, would use the words “risk taker”. Is that really how you would describe an entrepreneur? Is that the correct choice of words? I do not agree with that statement because being an entrepreneur I do not categorize myself as a risk taker and second of all, I think it scares future entrepreneurs off from starting a business. I want to propose a different perspective on entrepreneurship. A perspective that focuses on what really matters and does not scare people off. Entrepreneurship is not about risk. It is about … I have been an entrepreneur for more than 18 years and I consult with other entrepreneurs. One thing I must admit is that neither me nor any of the people I work with wake up in the morning and wish to have a big, bad bowl of risk for breakfast. We are not hectic risk takers. Well, not like the movies and popular media describes it. We do take risks though. Calculated risks. I try to minimize risk as much as possible. We KNOW that risk CANNOT be avoided and risk will always be there. But we also know that you can limit the amount of risk you face by how you do things. Entrepreneurs are curious and opportunistic. We find new things interesting and always ask, how can I do this better or how can this be improved? That level of thinking is OPEN to everyone. Anyone can be curious by asking those types of questions. But to make the whole thing run you need to be opportunistic. Again, it is not about taking the risk but finding a way of taking action with the least amount of risk. I know I reach out and work with other entrepreneurs, lowers my risk, spreads the work and I have a shared risk. Entrepreneurship is broken when you think of it purely as a risk profile because it scares people off from starting a business. But entrepreneurship opens up to many more people when you see, experience and action it from a perspective of curiosity. Ask yourself, is entrepreneurship is broken then? No. It lives. It grows. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. Stay curious.

Have you ever looked at your business as a collection of conversations?

Some conversations you are having well, others not so well, while some not at all. The ones you are NOT having well can be costing you a lot of money.

Knowing which conversations to improve can help you unlock profits within your business in the fastest, most efficient way with the least risk.

Get your FREE Tool to unlock new opportunities and profits within your business.

Willem Gous

13 Mar, 2018

<< Return to Blog Home

Connect with me on social media

Related Posts

Have you ever looked at your business as a collection of conversations?

Some conversations you are having well, others not so well, while some not at all. The ones you are NOT having well can be costing you a lot of money.

Knowing which conversations to improve can help you unlock profits within your business in the fastest, most efficient way with the least risk.

Get your FREE Tool to unlock new opportunities and profits within your business.

How can I help you today? See my services.

Leadership

Come and discover your true inner leader through this immersive, customised and realistic event. InsideRisk is the result of three years of research and development. An immersive program about High-Stakes Leadership in Action facing critical thinking, ethics and more.

Innovation

We empower you, your people, to be able to do the work we do when we leave. We are taking innovation out of the boardroom and into the economy. Enterprise level innovation at an SME price. Let us help you innovate your business while building capacity in your business.

Entrepreneurship

Businesses come and go, entrepreneurs remain. The Human Entrepreneur keeps entrepreneurs in the game through a human-centric, entrepreneur first, approach to sustainable entrepreneurial development. For individuals, incubators, development programs, investors and more.

International Speaker

Need a fresh message that motivates, energises and gets people to take action? I work with you to align my work with your message and goals to deliver impact and change. Topics & Events: Leadership, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Motivation and Team Building.

Share This