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An informal, stream-of-consciousness reflection on business ideas, events and issues in modern business, modern life and with some specifics to the web-software industry by Paul Tomori, Internet Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurialism is for Chickens By Paul Tomori Friday, July 17, 2009 at 16:21:15 (EDT) I am often puzzled when people consider me a risk-taker for running my own business. They say things like "you have to be a brave person to go into business for yourself". Yes, it's true, being an entrepreneur does require some acts of bravery here and there... and yes, it is not a pursuit to be taken lightly since most businesses fail in the first 2 years. But consider this: What do you call a person who is afraid that the company she works for might unjustifiably fire her one day more or less on a whim? What do you call a person who is afraid that he might be subjected to downsizing at the company where he works? What do you call a person who is afraid that she might be subjected to oppressive upper management making ridiculous demands on her? What do you call a person who is afraid that his fellow workers might take the company they all work for on strike even against his own wishes? What do you call a person who is afraid that despite her better than average efforts and abilities, would likely be paid the same as the mediocre or lazy colleague in the next cubicle? What do you call a person who is afraid that the company he works for might just go belly-up one day with no notice leaving him without any gainful employment in a blink of an eye? What do you call a person who is afraid that the company she works for might take the business offshore or to Mexico to take advantage of lower wages and overhead leaving her unemployed? What do you call a person who is afraid of losing his company pension because the company he works for has dipped into the pension fund to stave off an inevitable bankruptcy? What do you call a person who is afraid that her own full potential might be capped by the company she works for by the company's failure to consider the person for advancement? What do you call a person who is afraid that his own creative ideas might be ignored by the company he works for in favour of the sub-par ideas of other workers? I don't know about you, but I call such a person a CHICKEN!. You might also call such a person... an entrepreneur. Return To Blog Index