EVERYBODY dreams of making it big in his own business, but does everybody have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
Question worthy of a highly paid professor’s two-full-hour lecture in the country’s best business schools. Personally, I think the better question is: do you have what it takes?
A little-known book called “Dreamers, Doers, Risktakers” published by the UP Institute of Small-Scale Industries tells of persons from all parts of the wealth spectrum — from rags-to-riches dreamers to wealthy doers — and how they made their dreams come to fruition.
Different backgrounds, different training. Different personalities. A more popular book, “Go Negosyo,” shows the same thing. What’s the entrepreneurial gene that binds them all together? And on top of that gene, what behaviors and market conditions allowed them to build a business that not only made them wealthy, but also allowed them to employ other Filipinos?
This new blog called Open For Business is a testament that Filipinos can be entrepreneurs. We may have to fight against years and years of cultural flaws that keep us from becoming dreamers, doers and risk-takers. We may have to train our minds to embrace and accept ways of thinking that might seem different and strange. We may have to accept that not everyone will eventually strike it big.
But we can try. We can try to prove that entrepreneur is the one in front of the mirror.
So jump in, and join the discussion. Let the idea viruses flow.
Photos courtesy of Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Kids
September 9th, 2007 at 1:07 am
lahat tayo gustong magkaroon ng sariling negosyo, maraming Fil-Ams na hinihingan ng pampuhunan ng mga kamag-anak sa Pilipinas para makapag start pero kailangan hinay hinay sa pagpapadala kasi kailang pag-aralan muna ng maigi kung kikita ba ang itatayong sari-sari store o meron bang magpapasada ng trycycle of ng jeepney, magtutulong tulong ba ang mag-kakapamilya o baka ningas kugon, sayang ang ipinadalang pera kung walang mangyayari. Minsan mas mabuti pang iinvest na lang sa mga financial institution katulad ng Manulife kasi mas may kasiguraduhan at hindi pa magkakaroon ng tampuhan sa mag kakamaganak, bakit si Pedro binigyan ng mas malaki kaysa kay Juan
September 8th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
[...] Open for Business : Can everybody be an entrepreneur? [...]
September 7th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
I agree. It takes passion. Whether a passion to help other people, or a passion to become rich, just as long as there is a drive to see the fruitation of your efforts and sacrifices, because there will be a lot of sacrifiices. And you are going to risk a lot, not just money, such as time with family, maybe even quit your job. You risk your pride and sef worth due to ridicule and blame, especially if you lost the family savings. If you have a strong faith in yourself and your ability and damn the consequences, then you have passion. This is a prerequisite to become a successful entrepreneur.
September 7th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Everybody’s entrepreneur in its own right. You open a store, you sell your products. You apply for a job, you sell yourself. You work for a company, you sell your service. It’s a question rather of how profitable are we in what we are doing? As the saying goes, “If you hate the jeepney crowd, take a cab–or buy a car”. Likewise, if you think you’re better than your boss, then open your own business across the street and prove it. Else, stick with the job.
September 7th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Nice blog salve. Anybody with enough money can own a business. But not all business owners are entrepreneurs. They may be:
1) small vendors - the typical sari-sari store owner. Their micro-enterprise is their livelihood. It provides for their basic needs.
2) hobbyists - people who go into business just for fun, profit is secondary. My neighbor has specialty stores in plush malls. It doesn’t make money but it’s nice to have.
3) caretakers - people who inherited a business from their parents. They preserve the status quo for 30 yrs. I have relatives like this.
Entrepreneurs may be any of the above and more. The difference is their aspiration and capacity for growth and wealth creation.
A friend inherited a 100M company. She said I will make this company 10x bigger. If it’s still 100M when I’m done, I would have failed.
Another friend started as a newspaperboy in the street. He went into business that grew to 200M in his 30s. He’s still expanding and starting new businesses.
They are the true entrepreneurs.