When you read the title of this article, you’ve likely already pictured Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, or those like them. Wealthy individuals with a sharp business acumen leading the corporations that shape our market today.
While these are certainly the archetypical entrepreneurs who have succeeded in making their mark on the world – today, I want to challenge the definition of the entrepreneur itself; just who, or what, makes an entrepreneur?
Redefining the Entrepreneur
The traditional definition of an entrepreneur is a business owner who takes financial risks in hopes of making a profit – which is, well, aptly put. It’s hard to disagree with the definition of the word itself. What I’m proposing, however, is to expand the definition further to include anyone who pursues their passion actively in any form – be it a hobbyist, in occupation or researcher. To remove the exclusivity of owning a business and shifting back the starting line to include anyone who wishes to change the world.
Imagine the everyman who has a great idea – perhaps a young STEM graduate who has the idea of converting shifting sands in the desert into green energy. After further research, his initial prototype shows promise – it generates energy, but its output is too tiny, has too many problems, and seems impossible to scale. Coupled with the limited capital and time he has, the risk isn’t worth it. He instead gravitates to the comfort of a stable job, and shelves the idea to the side to be revisited in the future – too afraid to share it with investors for fear of the idea being stolen, but unable to proceed with developing it himself.
I have had one too many encounters with people like the STEM graduate above – brilliant people with interesting and potentially world-changing ideas who simply aren’t versed or interested in the business side of entrepreneurialism, and therefore do not or cannot risk aspiring to be something more. Those that dare often have no idea on where to start. These individuals hold untapped potential, held back by the barrier-to-entry that is entrepreneurship.
By redefining entrepreneurship to include and support these individuals, they gain access to resources and guidance otherwise unavailable to them, unlocking their potential, fostering creativity and innovation, and enabling them to make a real impact on the world. We can empower a larger number of individuals to become value creators for society. We can bring about a new wave of entrepreneurs to become a force for change.
Enabling The New Wave
My methodology and vision for enabling these new-wave entrepreneurs is to provide them sufficient support on their journey, whether technical, strategic, or emotional – a new class of entrepreneurial support to work alongside the more traditional financial funding that heavily relies on the capability of the recipient. This is what Easol was created to do – to relieve the burden on the modern entrepreneur.
We provide to these individuals the right team, technical capability, design, motivation, energy, business advice – all the tools, skills and experience they need to confidently embark on their entrepreneurial journey. We partner with them; collaborate with them; take risks with them; create value with them. This inclusive approach fosters true and sustainable innovation and facilitates personal growth – fully unlocking their potential.
Reimagining the Future
When we democratise entrepreneurship, we also democratise innovation, accelerate collective social and technological change, and create a diverse and equitable business landscape that stimulates economic growth. Through reimagining entrepreneurship and making it available to all, we can create a society where everyone has the opportunity to pursue their passions and shape the future.
Then, we can begin to truly scale the best of what humanity has to offer.