What is your perception of an entrepreneur?

**dily0487** · 12-11-2008 07:37 PM

Hi guys im new here and would be interested to find out what exactly your perception of an entrepreneur is? What springs to mind when you hear the word entrepreneur? Innovative? Inventive? Risk taker etc....

Thanks

**GuyBBY** · 12-11-2008 07:52 PM

Hi, welcome to YE.

Freelancer or Entrepreneur?

The entrepreneur is the innovative and creative person who either creates an idea and makes it into a working business, or modifies/revolutionizes an existing business model so as to streamline, build-upon, and add value to it. They are high-risk takers, but that risk is well educated and backed by careful thought and research. They are not afraid to learn and understand their way may not be the best, and when confronted with that, they do not give up but spend more time at the drawing board to develop another way to attack the project/model/etc.

They have to be confident but not arrogant as they need to be both the leader and the salesman, which means dealing with many people with many characteristics, temperaments, values, etc. They also need to be extremely comfortable with change, as in today's world that is ever present in the business world.

Guy

**dily0487** · 12-11-2008 08:01 PM

So do you think an individual has to be born with the necessary characteristics in order to become an entrepreneur...Or an individual can develop what skills and traits they were born with and become an entrepreneur. What would you say the difference is between the entrepreneur and the manager?

**GuyBBY** · 12-11-2008 08:20 PM

1. I think one can have both. Some people can sell sand to their classmates in the sandbox in pre-school, others have to learn from being the buyer year after year to use their experience to drive their motivation to make the switch.

2. As I put in the referencing link above that discussed entrepreneur vs freelancer...the manager is the person who may not be able to build something from the ground up (dev the business plan, model, know the finance, legal, marketing, growth, strategy, etc) but given a set task, they can excel and be the best at that position. Which, arguably is as important as the entrepreneur as the business could not survive without the meshing of multiple strengths and talents.

Me for example, I came up with the idea, model, plans to grow, features to offer, markets to analyze, do the sit downs with other organizations and think about beneficial partnerships or relationships BUT I need the other four members to carry through all that comes of those things mentioned.

Guy

**dily0487** · 12-11-2008 08:42 PM

Thanks for your input Guy I do agree with what you say about the managers and entrepreneurs. I think the main difference is the manager is there to oversee procedures were as the entrepreneur is the one who takes it to the next level.

The entrepreneur has had the innovation to trigger an idea and spark that idea into life. The manager’s role is to oversee operations on a daily basis; generally there is always a successful team behind the entrepreneur. But the entrepreneur is the one who is willing to put them self on the line, take the risk and seek an opportunity. They have the drive and ambition to continuously be successful.

**GuyBBY** · 12-11-2008 08:53 PM

No problem bud, it was a good prompting question, and I think will help many on here.
I agree with your response as well. There are plenty of people who are very very successful as managers, and that's great. They like the foundation of a company that is already existing to be there to know they are working for a sure thing and their efforts input and hard work will be guaranteed to benefit the company as a whole. The entrepreneurs are the ones who enjoy the creation and risky build of it all and the other stuff mentioned in the prior convos.

Thanks!

Guy

**Gopal Dev** · 12-13-2008 04:51 PM

Traliblazer...Someone who has an overwhelming urge to think ''outside the box'' and act on those thoughts to hopefully make them a reality. Definitely a risk taker, but in a good way, taking calculated risks. Someone who is fiercely independent and takes action. Nothing in one's life will ever change without doing so. An entrerpeneur is someone out to improve his/her life, and others' by leading by example and educating those of a similar mindset. Cheers!

Gopal (The Musical Mad Scientist and Entrepreneur)
The v-Fusion Group

**Brainy** · 12-13-2008 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by dily0487

Hi guys im new here and would be interested to find out what exactly your perception of an entrepreneur is? What springs to mind when you hear the word entrepreneur? Innovative? Inventive? Risk taker etc....

Thanks

Guess I would say "someone that is willing to go into the marketplace to get honest feedback from potential clients about a pending business or business idea. And then determine if the idea is solid enough to implement, and also present "prototypes" to would be clients to get their real feedback before starting the business itself. ...