How the “Business of Entrepreneurship” preys on naive and lazy people
If you're willing to do the work then question before you hand over the cash
In the past, when I’ve talked about my journey to entrepreneurship, I used to say, “You’re either working on your own dream or someone else’s.”
I have no idea who to attribute this to—perhaps a motivational podcast I listened to when I needed the nudge.
Then I realized statements like these aren’t useful for people with no interest in starting their own companies.
And, they can come off super bro-y, preachy, and condescending.
But the one group they might appeal to? Want-repreneurs. Or, people who want and need to hear this refrain before taking the leap.
Every entrepreneur started as a want-repreneur, including me.
Luckily for us, there’s an entire content industrial complex that caters to this demographic, whose members are ready to sponge up the motivational groupthink.
I call it the “Business of Entrepreneurship.”
In this industry, there are plenty of marketers, podcasters, and coaches who make a living off of entrepreneurship content.
Their M.O. is to inspire and hype up budding entrepreneurs—many of whom may also be vulnerable, impressionable, and naive.
There’s an image of financial freedom from entrepreneurship that includes independence, glamour, wealth, success, and all of the characteristics that accompany being your own boss, with an “I’ve found my calling and so should you” vibe.
What they don’t mention is the work involved. The blood, sweat, and tears of the journey that no one else sees.
Don’t get me wrong—not all the rhetoric or related media, content, courses, and podcasts are bad.
I certainly consumed my fair share before I started my own company.
But at some point, what separates the wheat from the chaff is that people either create a legit, profitable business, or they don’t.
I witnessed this firsthand during the buzzy tech glory years of New York City in 2012-2015.
The same faces, the same language, and the same conversations at networking events to commiserate about the struggle.
But no one really doing anything substantive.
The Business of Entrepreneurship knows this.
It knows some people will be too scared and lazy to take the leap, and never try.
There will be participants happy to consume the content and partake in events, hand over the cash for courses, but never actually follow through and do anything.
Coaches can only lead the horse to the water so many times, but they can’t force the horse to drink.
Meanwhile, there are also people who aren’t meant to start their own companies at all.
They might do dumb things, like do bad work, provide poor customer service, suck at hiring people, bungle sales and managing relationships, and lack organization in their operations or mismanage their finances. Worse, they don’t learn from their mistakes.
Other massively underrated skills are the ability to get back up and try again and do better, or realize you’re not cut out for the work ahead.
Success means different things to different people.
You have to figure out what work gives you a sense of pride, and what it means for your happiness and peace of mind.
You may want to be the #1 salesperson at a company you love. Or become a sous chef at a world-renowned restaurant. Or love teaching, engineering, designing, web developing, bartending, grass-cutting, carpentry, cleaning, and more, and be perfectly happy working for people who hopefully look out for you in turn.
You may already be doing great work that makes you happy, and have no interest or reason to start a company. I respect you for that.
If I sound disillusioned and cautionary, then perhaps it’s because I’m a little wiser now that I started and sold a company.
I consumed the content, too. As I was building, I found mastermind groups to be great ways at connecting and learning from entrepreneurs who have been and done that.
There’s no problem having faith, believing, and investing in yourself.
Just be careful about how and with whom you’re spending your dollars and time on coaching or entrepreneurship content. Ask yourself:
Who are the people behind the courses? Are they successful themselves? Have they proven it? Where are their endorsements? What will you get or learn? What help will they provide or how will they show you the way?
If you listen or subscribe to any Business of Entrepreneurship content, then observe, absorb, and take what value you can, especially if you’re paying any of your hard-earned money for it.
Then do yourself a favor and savor the time you need, act on it. Not acting is also an action.
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Until next time,
Shindy
On Instagram + TikTok
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