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Entrepreneurial success - What is it?

NVArchitectNVArchitect subscriber Posts: 12


MONEY? ... Well yes, that is the mantra of this age ... but does it really satisfy the need for success that is inherent in many entrepreneurs? Could it be that entrepreneurs gauge success by a completely different scale and only see money as an outcome, a servant and accompaniment to this desire to succeed? It is my view that focusing too much on the money robs us of the real fulfillment that is the wonderful possibility for the entrepreneurial life. Here are my complete views on what really constitutes entrepreneurial success

Entrepreneurial success - What is it?

Comments

  • DefMallDefMall subscriber Posts: 2 Member
    The greatest thing about success is that it`s in the eyes of the person making the plan.
    I blog about companies that are socially responsible and give back to society. Some of them donate ALL of their profits to the causes they support...so success isn`t about making money as much as it is about getting people aware of their cause and supporting it.
     
    You can read it here: www.ShopForTheGood.blogspot.com
     
     
     
  • besthealthbesthealth subscriber Posts: 4
    Thanks for sharing the article - always good to read other points of view. I believe that entrepreneurial success is based solely on the person who sets their goals and meets or surpasses them - it varies for each person.
  • Pawsitive2Pawsitive2 subscriber Posts: 0
    That was wonderful I truly loved it.  Thank you for sharing that.
  • NVArchitectNVArchitect subscriber Posts: 12

    Thank you CraigL for your lengthy reply. I think the best part of it was your joke at the end about binary numbers. It made me laugh.



     



    However, I think you have missed the point of my post and I guess being a busy cyber space writer you probably have not had the time to read my complete views on entrepreneurial success via the link provided.



     



    Your reply speaks to me of a very narrow definition of entrepreneurial success. You end your argument by saying that “they end up bankrupt” - as if that is the worst thing that can happen to an entrepreneur. Well, if they did end up bankrupt, they would join illustrious failures like Henry Ford,  Charles Goodyear, Milton Hershey, Rembrant, Oscar Wilde, Kim Basinger, Donald Trump, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Walt Disney who though bankrupted have tasted success that you or I could only ever dream of. For whilst they have each been broke but they were never poor in spirit.



     



    Your points are valid if entrepreneurial success only means financial success. The article I have written in support of this post goes to great lengths to argue against this very narrow definition of entrepreneurial success. For me, financial success is only a small part of what it means to be an entrepreneurial success.



     



    I understand where you are coming from but I wish to defend rather than attack what “besthealth” was trying to express and contribute to the debate. I agree that entrepreneurs must build financially sound enterprises that follow strict business principles to generate trading net profit but my article was more about the loftier, more noble drives that makes the entrepreneur’s contribution to our society so special.



     



    Henry Ford sums my views up well when he says “A business that only makes money, is a poor kind of business”



     



    Thanks again for taking the time to contribute to the debate.
  • NVArchitectNVArchitect subscriber Posts: 12
    Deep! ... Thanks for the reply. If you have not already done so ... maybe time to write the book about all this.
    I certianly share your views on reality ... what ever our beliefs about gravity and no matter how we might try and explain away its relevance, it is still going to hurt us bad when we step off the 3rd floor. Business is no different, for business works on laws, principles and definitions that we ignore at our own peril.
     
    Keep up the good work.
  • NVArchitectNVArchitect subscriber Posts: 12
    The flip side of entrepreneurial success is obviously entrepreneurial failure. But is failure for the entrepreneur only a negative experience or is it, as many sucessful entrepreneurs claim - a pre-requsite to success.


    Also, are their other positives from failure like a chance for discovery, a profound teacher, a future value-adder, a provider of new direction, an enhanced motivator, a path to achievement and even as a relieving liberator.
     
    The founder of IBM (T.J.Watson) actually stated that to guarantee success you needed to double your failure rate. Maybe entrepreneurs need to redefine failure.
     
    For more information see my updated article Redefining Failure - An Entrepreneurial Perspective.
  • dduttonddutton subscriber Posts: 1
    Thank you for such a eloquent response. 
     
    If you look at those that have documented success such as Jim Collins in Good to Great and James Ray in Harmonic Wealth,  you find references to several measures of success and money is only one of those ways to measure.  We have demonstrated evidence of significant financial wealth attached to many very unhappy people who live on excesses rather than solid core principles.
     
    How does this relate to entrepreneurs?  Yes, the successful entrepreneur is the one who can take their vision, make it a reality and give great value to the world in the form of products and services useful to humanity.  Henry Ford when asked what would he do if he lost everything said, he would find a human need and fill it and have it all back in no time at all!
     
    When I am able to move from early stage entrepreneur into "successful" entrepreneur I will have found the route to providing my great value to humanity.  In the meantime, while I wait for the financial success to catch up to my mental, physical, relational and spiritual success, I will put thoughts, feelings and actions in alignment with my vision and give as great a value as I can along the way, always with a smile!
  • NVArchitectNVArchitect subscriber Posts: 12
    Thanks Craig - I think that discussion post should be on the front page constantly. All good, all positive about failure and very inspirational.
    NVArchitect10/12/2008 1:32 AM
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