Top Myths About Entrepreneurship: #1
Well, I am no CEO of XYZ Corporation, not even an entrepreneur in the real sense of the term. But, with some experience and careful observation of this domain, I do find myself opinionated about most things—which is what makes me write this article. (And of course, there's the fact that this is my blog. Humble me.)
Here are some of the top myths people have about entrepreneurship... where "people" includes entrepreneurs before anybody else. Take a look and tell me if you agree or not. @ Entrepreneurs, be polite in the bashing, please.
Who says so? Entrepreneurs do. All of them. "We give a damn to the world, only we rule us!!" Sounds cool, no? Well to me, "Earth is square in shape" seems closer to the reality than this.
There are n (where n > infinity) number of challenges to be faced and overcome when an entrepreneur is starting out. But the biggest, undoubtedly, is, money. There is not a penny to be earned by the poor guy (or okay, girl) for a time longer than eternity. In fact, there is a probability of 1.1 that (s)he is destined to run in losses for years together. The punch is: how, then, do you expect them to pay anybody at all who will work under them?
The only exception can probably be online ventures/websites. But in reality, even that domain is impossible to ace alone, particularly if you are planning to stay and/or expand. Now when you're neither earning, nor have the money to pay others (obviously), how exactly do you get things done? Sample this:
I am the founder, CEO and what not! of, say, a web start-up. There is a simple, but crucial, task called "social media marketing". Probably the biggest fad in the marketing world today (more in the west than India), social media marketing is as important as unimportant it seems. It isn't something I'd proudly call my job, to be honest, but for any start-up, it is a necessary part of the whole marketing process. It includes handling all social media profiles—Facebook, Twitter, Quora, Github, LinkedIn etc, and trying to gain more visibility on social networks. So far, so good.
Now, as the CEO of my company, I am kinda... busy, you know. Actually, even if I am not, I have to pretend to be. So I need someone to do all this stuff for me. One day, I find someone good. Bazzinga!
I refuse to admit that this job requires as much time and effort as, say, web-developing, business development etc. But it is important still. What do I do? I try to appease this person. I'll praise his/her shitty poems, like their highly irritating profiles pictures, try to be friendly, show interest in their life, appreciate them in every little way, maybe take them out for treats, be on first-name or nick-name terms... and so on. What am I doing?! Business, silly. I am doing business.
This was just one example. Consider a huge team where I, as the CEO of my self-acclaimed "amazing start-up", have to constantly act all awwy with people just because I want them to do some not-payable jobs for my company. They think I'm so humble, polite, down-to-earth, etc. What I really am being? Nothing but a real mean and evil businesswoman in the making. Yeehaw.
Very mean. But let's just rewind this tape a bit. In doing all of this, is it really those innocent trapped rats who alone are the victim party? Am I not suffering anywhere, maybe unknowingly? I am. More particularly, my self-respect is. While on one hand my day goes in talking to VCs and angels and corporates, on the other hand, I have to be constantly wary of not upsetting these people. I can't say no to them for anything, for a long time. I can't scold them for not working... heck, I am not paying them a penny! Am I not, thus, subjecting myself to be constantly subdued by the "lower titles" of my OWN damn company, worse, at will? Hell yes I am.
In fact, that is the case with any business, perhaps. A Microsoft is a Microsoft not only because of Bill Gates anymore. Nobody can come this far all alone... NOBODY. Even the richest men in the world have to keep inventing ways to keep their "employees" happy, even before themselves. I shouldn't be surprised if I, as an entrepreneur, have to keep paying my team handsomely for a long time, while I bear the brunt of the losses... just because I have to keep trying.
Thus, if you're one of those daredevils who has this "I will rule myself!" misconception about becoming an entrepreneur, drop it at the earliest, I'd say. Think, innovate, be adventurous and kicked up, but do it all with complete knowledge, and awareness about what might await you next.
Myth#2 in the next post. Stay tuned.
Please, I meant.
Here are some of the top myths people have about entrepreneurship... where "people" includes entrepreneurs before anybody else. Take a look and tell me if you agree or not. @ Entrepreneurs, be polite in the bashing, please.
MYTH #1: Entrepreneurs don't have to work under anybody
Who says so? Entrepreneurs do. All of them. "We give a damn to the world, only we rule us!!" Sounds cool, no? Well to me, "Earth is square in shape" seems closer to the reality than this.
There are n (where n > infinity) number of challenges to be faced and overcome when an entrepreneur is starting out. But the biggest, undoubtedly, is, money. There is not a penny to be earned by the poor guy (or okay, girl) for a time longer than eternity. In fact, there is a probability of 1.1 that (s)he is destined to run in losses for years together. The punch is: how, then, do you expect them to pay anybody at all who will work under them?
The only exception can probably be online ventures/websites. But in reality, even that domain is impossible to ace alone, particularly if you are planning to stay and/or expand. Now when you're neither earning, nor have the money to pay others (obviously), how exactly do you get things done? Sample this:
Now, as the CEO of my company, I am kinda... busy, you know. Actually, even if I am not, I have to pretend to be. So I need someone to do all this stuff for me. One day, I find someone good. Bazzinga!
I refuse to admit that this job requires as much time and effort as, say, web-developing, business development etc. But it is important still. What do I do? I try to appease this person. I'll praise his/her shitty poems, like their highly irritating profiles pictures, try to be friendly, show interest in their life, appreciate them in every little way, maybe take them out for treats, be on first-name or nick-name terms... and so on. What am I doing?! Business, silly. I am doing business.
This was just one example. Consider a huge team where I, as the CEO of my self-acclaimed "amazing start-up", have to constantly act all awwy with people just because I want them to do some not-payable jobs for my company. They think I'm so humble, polite, down-to-earth, etc. What I really am being? Nothing but a real mean and evil businesswoman in the making. Yeehaw.
Very mean. But let's just rewind this tape a bit. In doing all of this, is it really those innocent trapped rats who alone are the victim party? Am I not suffering anywhere, maybe unknowingly? I am. More particularly, my self-respect is. While on one hand my day goes in talking to VCs and angels and corporates, on the other hand, I have to be constantly wary of not upsetting these people. I can't say no to them for anything, for a long time. I can't scold them for not working... heck, I am not paying them a penny! Am I not, thus, subjecting myself to be constantly subdued by the "lower titles" of my OWN damn company, worse, at will? Hell yes I am.
In fact, that is the case with any business, perhaps. A Microsoft is a Microsoft not only because of Bill Gates anymore. Nobody can come this far all alone... NOBODY. Even the richest men in the world have to keep inventing ways to keep their "employees" happy, even before themselves. I shouldn't be surprised if I, as an entrepreneur, have to keep paying my team handsomely for a long time, while I bear the brunt of the losses... just because I have to keep trying.
Thus, if you're one of those daredevils who has this "I will rule myself!" misconception about becoming an entrepreneur, drop it at the earliest, I'd say. Think, innovate, be adventurous and kicked up, but do it all with complete knowledge, and awareness about what might await you next.
Myth#2 in the next post. Stay tuned.
Please, I meant.
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