Where Do You Fall On The Entrepreneurial Range?

True entrepreneurs don’t chase becoming an “entrepreneur.” They instead chase their ideas and dreams, working hard to make them a reality. And as a by-product, they are considered entrepreneurs.

To be frank, in Entrepreneurial Leap I do everything in my power to scare you away from becoming an entrepreneur. I do that because entrepreneurship is hard, really hard. If you aren’t cut out to be an entrepreneur but decide to take the entrepreneurial leap because you want it so badly, the outcome will be excruciating.

As a reminder, the definition of an entrepreneur is someone who sees a need or an opportunity, and then takes a risk to start a business to fulfill it.

As you begin your entrepreneurial journey, it is important to make a distinction between being self-employed and being a “true” entrepreneur. The best way to describe the difference is to think of a range.

On the far right end of the range are some of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time: Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Sarah Blakely, Thomas Edison, and Oprah Winfrey, to name a few. People on the right half of the range are what I call “true” entrepreneurs.

On the left side of the range are self-employed sole proprietors who work as freelancers, are independent contractors, have a side hustle, or who have lifestyle businesses.

Being anywhere on this spectrum is admirable and respectable. These people are all taking a personal risk.

Entrepreneurial Leap is written for entrepreneurs-in-the-making who possess the six essential traits and believe they reside more on the right side of this range. I’m not saying you must be the next Elon Musk, just more to the right than the left.

If you have confirmed that you’re indeed an entrepreneur-in-the-making, welcome to the tribe. Entrepreneurs are unique, almost as if we’re from a different planet. When you’re around fellow entrepreneurs, you tend to click, speak the same language, and feel comfortable with each other.

In addition to reading Entrepreneurial Leap and engaging with all the free tools within, there are many organizations that support and train entrepreneurs. Consider getting involved with one of the following organizations:

• Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
• Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO)
• The Alternative Board (TAB)
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
• Vistage
• The Strategic Coach® Program
• Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC)

Next Steps:

If you haven’t done so already, let’s move forward to find out if you’re an entrepreneur-in-the-making. Take the Entrepreneur-in-the-Making Assessment to see if you possess the characteristics of a “true” entrepreneur.