Why Did They Become Entrepreneurs?
In the course of our interview series since the initiation in May, we were able to make out some interesting commonalities between the interviewed entrepreneurs. They often resemble in various aspects – from their why’s to their circumstances of their inception. This blog post covers the top 5 reason why our already 12 interviewees chose the entrepreneurial path.
#1 – Doing It Your Own Way
The reason that almost everyone shares is that for entrepreneurs typical “Do It Yourself” – approach. Phrases like, “I like to be my own boss and make important decisions myself”, were repeated quite frequently. We were not overly surprised by that, since for founding your own company and introducing your own product or service to the market you have to rely on yourself. As every startup or entrepreneurial foundation is different, there is no exact instruction manual given. Of course, you can learn from existing professionals in your field acquire all the tips and advices for certain situations; however, when it has to get down, you have to be self-reliant and proactive. Traits that are absolute musts for every entrepreneur.
#2 – Follow Your Calling
Whether they named it calling, passion or purpose what most of our interviewed entrepreneurs have in common is their underlying enthusiasm for a greater cause. Some even mentioned words like, “meant to do it”, when we asked how they overcame their doubts of starting out. We believe that inner certainty that things will work out is crucial for getting past the first few hurdles that will be set in your way.
#3 – Solve a Problem
Often our entrepreneurs discovered room for improvements in certain industries that have to be addressed. Whether it was Annemarie Harant & Bettina Steinbrugger of Erdbeerwoche, Rebekka Dober of YEP or Philipp Stangl of Rebelmeat, just to name a few, they all wanted to innovate or develop a product and, hence, contribute to society. They realized it was not about them but rather about the problem they wanted to solve. Still knowing the problem is one thing, actually coming up with the solution and acting on it is a whole different conversation!
#4 – Do It Out of Joy
“I want to create cool things and in order to do that I need to develop as a person”, Eugen Warda of Wardanetwork said, for instance. Having joy for the work you do as the impetus for improvement is key. Similar to “follow your passion”, if you stand for an idea or find the thing that excited you and make it your job, you will never have to work a day in your life again. Sounds cliché, but it’s true. In the initiation phase you have to put the work in and unless you’re not one hundred percent behind your project, you will lose enthusiasm and quit. As opposed to this, if you love what you do, you forget to count the hours and end up burning the candle at both ends until the job is done.
#5 – Don’t Do It for the Money
Do it wholeheartedly and with love to the detail and the money will, eventually, follow! What every entrepreneur agreed with is that money shouldn’t be your number one drive. Choosing the quick paycheck over the project and outcome that you really desire might be appealing in the short run, but in the long run it will let you neglect and forget the reason you wanted to become an entrepreneur in the first place. Paradoxically, by not putting such importance on the return but focusing on your idea, your product or service, you will do your work with diligence which again benefits the quality of your product or service. The better those become, the higher the demand will be there for your work!
In our weekly interview series, we will be featuring various inspirational entrepreneurs of the Austrian startup scene. Each Monday, you can expect useful insights into their lives and practical tips that you can follow in order to walk your entrepreneurial path. Like, share, comment – and feel free to reach out to us. Suggestions, ideas, remarks are all welcome – let’s shape the ecosystem together.
