What Is an Entrepreneur?

Thinking is the hardest and most exhaustive of all labour; and hence, many people shrink from it.— Wallace D. Wattles

Many People Don’t Think About Entrepreneurship

Folks work in the systems created by entrepreneurs and never give any thought about what has given rise to the giantcorporations which provide jobs, commodities and revenue.  Therefore many live their lives out just maintaining an existence and working hard to keep bread on the table and a roof over their heads for them and their families.

It comes without saying that the vast majority of people around us are consumers.  Economically-speaking, the consumer is the direct opposite to an entrepreneur.  A vital component of economy, the consumer, which makes up the sheer masses, are still human and most, upon acquiring the right knowledge, are capable of mastering the art of the enrepreneur when acqiring the right tools and developing the required proficiency.

All humans eat foods and use certain products made by others.  In this way, every human being is a consumer, which technically is completely redundant and a futile label.

However, the economic definition, in a few words are:

• Consumer A person who purchases and uses the manufactured products and services of others.
• Entrepreneur A person who produces and markets products and services for consumers.

These definitions of course, are greatly simplified, for these are much more involved, and the many implications involved in the economic definition is in fact, qhite technical.

The consumer and consumerism will be discussed in another article.  In this article we will gravitate toward the question, “What Is an Entrepreneur?”

The Relationship Between Entrepreneurs (Producers) and Consumers (Everybody Else)

Both the entrepreneur and consumer, in the basic form, are human beings, all with the same general makeup and characteristics that make us humans what we are.

These terms, are convenient labels used by economists and related industries to conveniently separate the population into two groups, the consumer group making up roughly 95% of the entire population in any developed region and handles roughly 5% of all the wealth. Entrepreneurs make up and handle the wealth in the opposing spectrum

Entrepreneurs make up the leaders (including those in government high offices and business owners.)  This number does not include hired executives which are placed in offices of businesses.  The entrepreneur is known to be business owners who hire out the positions within the system so he/she can carry out the business of growing and starting new business enterprises through negociation and business deals.  Even though this person consumes commodities, the full-fledged entrepreneur has the mindset and actions characteristic of being a business owner and puts teams especially suited for the task to the running of the operation(s.)

The consumer works for companies built by entrepreneurs.  As employees, they usually don’t concern themselves with things beyond doing what has been assigned to them, under leadership of yet other consumers given these positions, under yet higher offices given to those with leadership and executive skills.  The CEO, for example may or may not be the owner but works for him under that leadership role.

Whether you are a consumer or an entrepreneur very highly depends on the type of education and upbringing you’ve recieved.  It is a direct result of who you are with, the friends you have and who your chosen superiors are.

This being the case, I begin with thought…

Entrepreneur in Thought and Deed

Thought is one of the three most important aspects of entrepreneurship because it takes education, which teaches you how to think and helps develop the mindset required in becoming an entrepreneur.  However this must be the right kind of education, which is delivered by entrepreneurs with the intent of showing others how to be the same.

It is easy to see that an entrepreneur needs courage, strength and tenacity.

One must not be afraid to delve into the unknown and let fear overtake him.  Very often this is what most people do and thus never move foreward out of a life lived by the masses. There are as many, if not more excuses for everything that can be feared.  For most, the fear is in taking control in areas where they have been accustomed to having been directed by superiors.  Employment is a colossal example of this.  One cannot have an employee mentality and expect to do what entrepreneurs do.

Becoming an entreprneur also takes strength.  One must endure the problems tha arise in areas which must be first, entered into (the unknown) and to learn how to handle the new.  One of the biggest problems encountered is that of having to learn new things and implement them.  This often comes with lots and lots of stumbling and countless erros.  I takes strength to get up from a fall and go at it again until the thing is mastered.  Nobody can argue that mastery is easy becuase it goes without saying that if anything is easy, everybody would be doing it.  To master a worthwhile ideal takes great strength and endurance.

Akin to strength and courage is the idea of being able to hang on, to persist, to carry through, carry on with determination and utmost willpower.  This is tenacity.  All three of these attributes must be present at even the first steps into the realm of entrepreneurship.  It’s not a bed of roses during the learning stages.  In fact, the entrepreneur never stops learning, nor is he ever satisfied with the outcome of something – therefore it is a work never finished even though it is highly functional.  There will be gradual steps to new heights, the effect of being on a plateau for awhile, sometimes for quite a while, and then sometimes there may be regression.  It’s all part of mastery.

It all starts with the mind.  The mind controls the will and the being.  This is needed from the very start and it never ends.  You just get used to it in time.

On Becoming an Entrepreneur

This starts with education, the right kind of education.  It can be done as independent study or through training especially designed for this development.  Entrepreneurship requires mastery of a number of concepts that are generally foreign to those with employee menality (most consumers) but the concepts are not rocket science and can be learnt by any person with average intelligence.  There are even cases of people with mental illness that have become famous entrepreneurs too many to list!

To add to the above section on thought and deed, there is little else that need mention except that in becoming an entrepreneur, you need to make this a part of you.  This only comes in taking action and doing what is necessary by jumping in and getting your feet wet.  To be an entrepreneur you will be building businesses, developing ideas, taking leadership and making money whilst providing what the community needs and wants.

This is certainly not for the faint at heart, but for those who will not be afraid to step into unknown territory and boldly go where most people won’t go.  You will need to think for yourself and not be afraid to take calculated risks. All of these things can be developed but it does take time.

Conclusion

If you have a passion, you owe it to yourself to develop this and not do what most people do with their dreams, that is, disregard them for the sake of doing what everybody else does.  If you do what everyone else does, you will certainly get what everyone else gets.  Becoming an entrepreneur is an honourable goal in life and if done dilligently, not only is rewarding, but can change the lives of many you touch.

One of the best ways I know of to step into the world of entreprneurship is affiliate marketing.  Truly this industry isn’t for everyone but is a great entry point to getting started in an exiting field where you will learn to think for yourself, create a business, make recurring income and changing your life forever.  It starts with education and, if you are interested in promoting products without the selling, this may be for you.