What do you think?

[Lala]

When we hear the word "entrepreneur" a certain image comes to our mind, and it is the image of a whealthy man that has made a huge effort to succeed in this world. But as far as I'm concerned, entrepreneurs are not only those people who set up their own companies but also those who innovate and come up with ideas to help the company they work for make a better profit or try to change things from their workplace, people who stand for their own beleifs.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "entrepreneur"?

[Mónica]

When I hear the word entrepreneur, I imagine a person who managed to be succesful through hard work and who built their business from the ground up. I really admire Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, for how he came up with the idea for the extremely popular social networking website and how he became one of the wealthiest people in the world in less than a decade.

To be an entrepreneur you should be relentless and persistent. It is almost guaranteed that you will face many obstacles when you're starting out, and you mustn't let these hardships stop you from moving forward. It is also important to have a set goal, so as to not lose aim of what you're trying to achieve.

I would like to be an entrepreneur, but at the same time I wonder if I'll be able to handle such a huge responsibility or if I'll be good enough. It's a difficult question to answer for now, I guess.

[Lala]

Hi Mónica,

Thanks for replying!

I'd like to be an entrepreneur as well, it would be great if both of us became entrepreneurs one day as most people think of them as men and women can be entrepreneurs too!

[Alex]

Entrepreneur = reckless daydreamer.

Don't misunderstand me...I'm very fond of people who risk their time, money and try -and achieve success- to set up a business, but the bare truth is that 3 out of 4 SMB won't survive after 2-3 years.
For that reason, an entrepreneur is a person with a very high self-esteem; otherwise, he/she wont have the streght and guts to bounce back in case of failure, and keep trying.

An entrepreneur must be 'down to earth', and be able to figure out when it's either time to fight or to give up. There are times when your bussiness plan fails. Should this happen, it's better to put aside your dreams before it's too late. Been witty and resourceful are ' a must have' for an entrepreneur, but having a clear vison of the business situation it's the key to avoid bankruptcy if things get nasty: having a bullet-proof nature should'n mean overconfidence or blindness.

If you are one of the 'lucky ones' who belongs to the 25% who are sucessful (and yes, I said lucky, because besides hard work, a good plan and some money, you will need luck...lots of luck), think about growth, think about the way to protect your business from competitors and remember that the world changes and your business has to evolve, or sooner than later will fade away and eventually, disappear. Keep looking for new products, new services, new markets, dont give anything for granted.

And last, but not least, don't forget your family, your friends, yourself... Usually entrepreneurs are workalcoholics and have a trend to forget there is life after work. Your business is important, but remember that you have a life worth being lived.

[Anna]

When I think on the word entrepreneur I can’t avoid an image of a fierce animal coming straight away to my mind. At the same time, I associate this word to a young, good-looking, jovial, full of life person, full of success. In summary, a feeling of positivity invades me but mixed with a frustration and hopeless regret for not being one of them.. But, never is too late, don’t you think so?

[ANNA]

• Who or what do you think of when you read the word entrepreneur?
When I think on the word entrepreneur I can’t avoid an image of a fierce animal coming straight away to my mind. At the same time, I associate this word to a young, good-looking, jovial, full of life person, full of success. In summary, a feeling of positivity invades me but mixed with a frustration and hopeless regret for not being one of them.. But, never is too late, don’t you think so?
• Are there any entrepreneurs that you admire in some way?
There are some, of course, but I wouldn’t say that I admire them. I’d rather say that I think they have been able to take advantage of some skills and opportunities that life has put by their side, that is their value.
• What are the essential ingredients to be an entrepreneur?
I have no experience at all and either I know nobody who is an entrepreneur, but I’d say that to be an entrepreneur you need to be very enthusiastic and believe in yourself, self-confident. It helps, of course, If you're surrounded by valuable people, economic resources and time to dedicate to your business.
• Would you like to be an entrepreneur?
For my way of being, I’d rather work for someone else, is not that I couldn’t do it, but, at this moment of my life, the chance has passed. If I were an entrepreneur now, I couldn’t stand the pressure and I didn’t want to sacrifice time for family or friends. So, things don’t happen sometimes for some reason.

[Marisol]

• Who or what do you think of when you read the word entrepreneur? I think of a very rich person living at the top floor on 5th avenue. I know that this is not the actual definition of entrepreneur, because you do not need to look, or live that way to be one, the important thing is to getting out of your comfort zone and start your own business no matter the obstacles you may face.
• Are there any entrepreneurs that you admire in some way? –I cannot think of any right now. Maybe the CEO of my favourite magazine: “Algarabía”. I don’t really know the history of the magazine or hers, but I what I know is about the product and how it has grown throughout time.
• What are the essential ingredients to be an entrepreneur? Confidence, education, courage, a reason, determination, a guide, inspiration.
• Would you like to be an entrepreneur? Yes, being my own boss, under my own rules and enjoy whatever I do, I’m sure I’d have tons of fun doing it, I just feel I need a bit more of courage to do it. I have great examples around me, support, ideas, but I missing courage and confidence. I hope not to be that old when I find it.

[Admin]

Thanks for writing Marisol - I've not heard of the magazine Algarabia. What's special about it? I can understand why you haven't started your own business. It seems to me that running a business is a battle, every day, 24 hours a day! That's what I see when I look at the lives of friends who have their own business. They need to be 100% dedicated, otherwise it doesn't work..
Can I help?
but I what I know is about the product= Maybe you can say: I just know the product and how it has developed over the years.
but I missing courage and confidence.= I'm lacking courage and confidence.
See you!
Pieter
Forum tutor