So, You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

So, You Want To Be An Entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur goes beyond everything you were taught in college.

80
So, You Want To Be An Entrepreneur?

To the college freshman who just decided on the taking the road towards entrepreneurship.

I know why you want to be an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs are significant. Innovation appears cool and exhilarating, and every day you will be doing something new. Television shows and magazines praise and respect the men and women dressed professionally in suits or business casual attire who speak about their accomplishments, challenges they overcame, and the years spent working to develop and launch the next big thing in the tech, healthcare, music, sports or food industry.

You passed business, finance, marketing, statistics or accounting classes, and know the definition of vocabulary words used in selling and meetings. Negotiating, investing, organizing, and networking are things you can handle with little to no stress. You think you have what it takes to being an entrepreneur? There's more to it than that.

No matter how many times you look it up, the meaning of the word entrepreneur changes, depending on who you ask because until you accomplish something extraordinary and give yourself a unique identity, the term itself will only have the textbook definition instead of one that you personally define.

You can know every entrepreneurial strategy or person that achieved great things before you, but you will not develop the confidence that you need like they did until you read about their journey, learn the skills you want, and stay in contact with friends who have more experience than you do.

In the news or social media platforms you will see and read about the difficulties that brilliant and sometimes eccentric men and women overcame to achieve their dreams. Whether it's financial issues, missing out on fun activities (besides the ones cancelled due to Covid-19) or not having the time, you will never have the life you want unless you take that first step.

The people you meet with either be your teammate, competition or best friend. They will have faults, unique skills, personal issues, and vulnerabilities, but if they remain loyal to the business and put in the effort, it will still be okay because we all want to achieve success.

Making your presence known on social media (including having a website) are the only ways to succeed as an entrepreneur. Any business without an online presence will fail within a year.

To get ahead of the competition, you should check out what other people have created and try to improve on it. Read what customers like and dislike about products or services, so you know what to do and avoid when starting your own business.

Entrepreneurship is not only limited to making cool stuff. Being an entrepreneur is unlike the things you are taught in college. The skills you need to learn will involve months of paid online courses or watching YouTube videos for free.

So, do you still have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

Give it a shot. Read finance, investment, and marketing books. Do some meditation. Try to network with business owners on LinkedIn. Sketch out ideas. Create a brand and website to promote your work. Form a team with friends or other entrepreneurs and keep working until you make real progress.

Taking that first step towards being your own boss or joining a team of innovators, thinkers, and scholars will be worth the risk. If you want to have a life with the freedom to travel, spend more time with family, and get access to the latest technology, you will need to use your failures as lessons to keep trying until you finally achieve success because you can do it.

Sincerely,

The college graduate with big dreams

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

147139
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

36405
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

32251
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments