Should Mamas let their babies grow up to be entrepreneurs?
“Mamas don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys.”
Country music fans recognize this title and passage from the Ed and Patsy Bruce song made famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. If there ever was a honky-tonk anthem, this is it.
Every good anthem has a hook lyric and it goes like this in this song: “He ain’t wrong, he’s just different, and his pride won’t make him do things to make you think that he’s right.”
Wish I had a nickel for every time someone watched an entrepreneur doing what entrepreneurs do, and asked, “What’s wrong with him?” Well, entrepreneurs are a lot like cowboys—they’re not wrong they’re just different. Consider these examples:
Entrepreneurs like financial rewards no less than the next guy. But for most entrepreneurs, money is more of a way to keep score. What really drives them is accomplishing something that hasn’t been done before—to create something from nothing. If money were the most important thing to entrepreneurs you’d be reading this by candlelight before you take the buggy to work.
Entrepreneurs are usually smarter than the average bear, but that’s not to say the most educated. One of the greatest entrepreneurial minds I’ve ever observed had a poor formal education. Entrepreneurs have a special kind of intelligence that allows them to see things before they exist. Anyone can ask, “What if?” But it takes an entrepreneurial mind to turn that question into something useful you can hold.
Entrepreneurs care about what others think of them about as much as they care about the weather on Mars. Which is not to say that entrepreneurs don’t seek outside advice and counsel. But if your opinion is going to be valued by entrepreneurs, you’d better be able to keep up. Entrepreneurs don’t truck much with marketplace pedestrians, unless they’re customers.
Entrepreneurs turn the lights on and they turn the lights off. It’s not that they’re workaholics; it’s just that they don’t actually think of what they do as work. Workers clock in thinking about quitting time and vacation. But a small business weaves a very fine seam between itself and the life of its entrepreneur.
And an entrepreneur sees a risk others avoid as essential to discovering what works, or a valuable lesson.
Entrepreneurs ain’t wrong they’re just different. And their vision won’t let them do things that make you think they’re right. But you should love them anyway.
Write this on a rock...Should Mamas let their babies grow up to be entrepreneurs? Absolutely. The world can’t do without them.
For a short video from Jim on this topic, click here.
Jim Blasingame is creator and host of the Small Business Advocate Show. Copyright 2013, author retains ownership. All Rights Reserved.
