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'Entrepreneur?' Ha!

(3 minute read.)

'It ain't me, babe.'

I prefer not to use the word 'entrepreneur'…

Dictionaries are very clear and simple in their explanation of it: 'Someone who starts their own business.'

So what's my gripe?

To me, it initially conjured connotations of Branson, Murdoch, and suchlike - tycoon/magnate types. That ain't me, and they're people with whom I could never identify nor aspire to be.

You enjoy business? Deals, etcetera?

I don't.

Years later my discomfort also includes how the word has become a 'cool trend', overused and devalued (also, conversely, aspirationally over-valued); seems almost everyone and their pet dog is an entrepreneur these days, and many want to start their own business just so's they can call themselves 'entrepreneur'.

So it's not so much the word, but many of the people who consider themselves such; whether the tycoon-types, others imbued with alpha-male-machismo, or pretentious wannabes.

Either way, there's too great an element of 'money-and-power-and-glory oriented'. Definitely not an ethos for me, I favour gentle and modest.

While I'd of course prefer to be well-off than poor, personal financial enrichment has never been my key motivation. And I've certainly never wanted power or fame or glory.

Back in the 70s I initially started my own business because I didn't enjoy working for others, then continued because it was a way to enable me to spend a decent amount of time with my wife and young kids.

Subsequently it became because I had an idea for something I liked and which was socially and financially worthwhile - and so starting and building a business to enable it to be done was logical and satisfying.

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