The Time of the Entrepreneur

America especially had always venerated thebecause you can have an income stream,
entrepreneur. An individual willing to risk it all onindependent of you time input. Financial freedom.
creating their own income stream. No boss, noAnd an income stream not in the hands of a boss
board, no bank. Just the individual doing it all theor board.
way. The cowboy. (Cowgirl - cowperson?)However it will be in the hands of a marketplace,
This is really what sets the USA apart. I live inso:
Canada, and though we share the same landscapeTop 3 things to look for in your entrepreneurial
and border, the Canadian mentality is more...whatsearch:
shall we say... more compromising. An American1) Make it something you want to do. Really want
(stereotypically) is driven, ambitious, aggressiveto do - this is how you are going to spend most
and believes 'I can do it, my way god darnit'. Aof your waking hours, make it something that
Canadian is more live and let live and lets just alldrives you.
get through this together.2) Make sure your business can scale. Up. Examine
In business that tends to mean that Canada hasthe marketplace you want to be in, can it sustain
less per person productivity than the USA. Notyou making millions? You might not ever want to
because Canada is less smart or less anything inmake that much. But if you felt like it, could you?
any real way, except one. Risk.And in bad times will that marketplace sustain
The stereotypical Canadian will minimize risk (seeyou?
our banking system which didn't collapse in the3) Make sure, I repeat, make sure, you can get
economic meltdown, because fat cats andyou time back out at some point in the future. If
monopolies that they are, they don't like big risk)it will always take YOU working at the thing to
Now this is generalizing and going for risk after allkeep it going, and there's no way to back you
has allowed the USA to virtually bring down thetime out - you have a job, you are the boss and
entire worlds economy, and allowed China to putthe employee. You have income, but no life.
itself in a very important position economically and4) Realize Risk is all. Not money as much as time
possibly will have irretrievable hurt the US inand emotional commitment. You are going to
terms of its number 1 ranking for all time - but,have throw everything you have got behind the
thems the breaks.project. And when it fails (it might) be prepared to
Anyway...throw everything you've got into the next, and
Lets get back to the entrepreneur before I ridethe next, until you make it work (it will)
off in all directions at onceRisk as in attitude, not as in throwing your family's
Its a fact, in terms of business, in terms ofsaving at something with no safety net. Not risk
lifestyle - a successful entrepreneur hasas in craziness without thought. Risk as in; no-one
everything else beat hands down (except A listelse believes in it, no one else sees it, no-one else
Male Hollywood actors perhaps ) (Oh andis prepared to work this hard, no one else can
politicians - a free ride all the way - but -)see how it will possibly work -
But an entrepreneur, the concept of an individualWhat do they know?
making it without the safety net of a job or big5) take advice only from those who have what
company environment, is risky.you want. Again I repeat take advice only from
Most people have jobs because jobs are easier.those who have what you want. It doesn't
To get.But jobs have no life attached to them.matter if its your parents, your best friend, your
Most people 'work' because they don't like therich neighbor, if they do not have what you want
risk. Most countries don't do as well, productivity- in this case, creating an income stream that is
wise, as The US because the population avoidsself sufficient unto itself, and that can make them
risk.millionaires. They have no say.
Be the cowboy/cowgirl. The wild spirited one. ItsAfter all these days Frank Kern can make 1 million
risky, but its a great life.or so in an hour - and GM and top wall street
Why?financial institutions are bankrupt.
Entrepreneur - The true possibility of financialIf you are not American, then absorb their driving
freedom at best and the reality of financial controlspirit enough to make your life financially free.
of your life, at worst.Believe in becoming accountable for your own
If you do not control the engine of your income,future. Absorb the risk.
you have no control. If you have a job, you canWhen people are financially free they can help
be let go fired at any time for reasons that haveothers. You have time and money. Its good to
nothing to do with your work, orsend money to Haiti or Chile, its better to go
accomplishments.down there and help with your own hands, put
If you have a position with a financial ceiling - athe 'aid' directly into the right hands.
job, a tenured position etc, then you can onlyIts good to care about your kids. Its better to
make what is given, not what you can earn.have a life where you can be with them when
However -If you create your own business, andthey need you because you have created time in
you keep at it until it proves successful, and it hasyour life.
scale (that is your earning ceiling is only limited byThe entrepreneur is a French word - but its
your ambition) then you have possibilities. ThenAmerica's gift to the world.
you can create a lifestyle second to none,Take the gift.