"Entrepreneur"
A term that is bandied about too much, if you ask me.
There's nothing wrong with doing your Thing with someone else or for someone else, so don't get hung up that you **must** be an entrepreneur to really do your Thing. Sure, it's easier to do exactly what you want the way you want to when you're in charge, but there are plenty of smart businesses that will realise that you being allowed to do your Thing the way you want to do it will benefit their business and give them the best results from employing you. So don't worry if you're not an entrepreneur.
You can still be independent—you just don't have to be enterprising.
Lots of people say they're an entrepreneur but really, when it comes down to it (and if we're being pedantic, which I am!), they may just be 'self-employed'. And there's nothing wrong with being self-employed. In fact, it's a smart move if you don't want to have a boss—you can do what you want, how you want, when you want, as you have created your own job and you set your hours and pay. What you might not be is entrepreneurial.
Here's the Oxford English Dictionary definition of an Entrepreneur:
A person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.
And it's that risk-taking that makes the difference to me.
If you're happy to just do your Thing—get paid for it—all is well, but you're probably not an entrepreneur—just a self-employed, or employed even, Thinger. It's when you take risks—either the risk of standing out, of doing something differently, of calling yourself a 'name', of standing by a process or philosophy that's yours—then you're an entrepreneur.
You're also probably a little bit crazy. Crazy in the 'daring and don't give a stuff' kinda way. Sure, you're doing your Thing, but you'll do it no matter what anyone thinks. You'll do your Thing because it's your Thing to do and if you have to stand out in the process than so be it. It's not always necessary to be an entrepreneur to be a Business Celebrity, but it's likely.
Because when it comes down to it, if you really want to get noticed for doing your Thing, you'll need to do things differently—and that includes your Thing being different. You'll probably have to take a risk that your Thing works, and is going to cause a commotion—and that's all good... that makes you a risk-taking entrepreneur, so let the good times roll because profit will be your reward.
And if you want to do your Thing quietly as a self-employed Thinger, please go ahead—it's what ever works for you. Just know that if you really want to get famous for it, you might need to take a risk or two... and that might just make you an entrepreneur instead.
Not everyone has the same energy
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