The Lures of Entrepreneurship
Employment vs. entrepreneurship.
I think at some point, everyone thinks about whether to do one or the other. A common Filipino aspiration is "magkaroon ng sariling negosyo," at least from the features we see on TV. Think about it, if you hear, "maging empleyado" vs. "magkaroon ng negosyo," it does seem like the latter is the loftier goal.
To clarify, I am not to undermining employment. I have worked for multinational companies since graduating from college and I know how stressful and difficult it can get. Employment has its perks, for sure. Steady income, and layers of 'protection' that keep you from immediate impact of market fluctuations, a structured environment, processes, etc.
Even so, I still admire people who risked starting their own businesses and have successful ventures. What drives one to go for it? I have thought about the lures of entrepreneurship these past few days because I was exposed to them to a small degree. I sold 20 items on eBay in the last month! Not bad for a first-time seller, no?=) Please check out items for sale here.
Here's my list of what draws people to entrepreneurship:
1. Transacting directly with the customer. You'll know first-hand who they are (demographics) and what they like/not like about your products/services (preferences). For me, it was interesting to discover which items sold, and they were not necessarily the ones that I liked.
2. The creative freedom to strategize and implement your ideas into your business; and seeing how they impact the customer experience and increase your sales. This includes the studying competitors and what tactics can be applied to gain advantage. Before I sold stuff on eBay, I bought stuff on eBay. I knew how I wanted to be treated as a customer and I used this knowledge once I switched to selling. =)
3. Working at your own pace and having control over your schedule, but also knowing that how much you earn depends on how much effort you exert.
4. The high of receiving money directly from people. Richard once said that he liked having a business ("kinukuha ko ang pera nila") vs being a customer ("kunukuha nila ang pera ko"). I used to contest that he got something in exchange anyway, but now I understand.=)
I don't know where this selling will get me and my sister (her stuff, I sell). It's definitely just a hobby for now, but it's also good that it's income-generating and I am able to exercise my entrepreneurial muscles.
I think at some point, everyone thinks about whether to do one or the other. A common Filipino aspiration is "magkaroon ng sariling negosyo," at least from the features we see on TV. Think about it, if you hear, "maging empleyado" vs. "magkaroon ng negosyo," it does seem like the latter is the loftier goal.
To clarify, I am not to undermining employment. I have worked for multinational companies since graduating from college and I know how stressful and difficult it can get. Employment has its perks, for sure. Steady income, and layers of 'protection' that keep you from immediate impact of market fluctuations, a structured environment, processes, etc.
Even so, I still admire people who risked starting their own businesses and have successful ventures. What drives one to go for it? I have thought about the lures of entrepreneurship these past few days because I was exposed to them to a small degree. I sold 20 items on eBay in the last month! Not bad for a first-time seller, no?=) Please check out items for sale here.
Here's my list of what draws people to entrepreneurship:
1. Transacting directly with the customer. You'll know first-hand who they are (demographics) and what they like/not like about your products/services (preferences). For me, it was interesting to discover which items sold, and they were not necessarily the ones that I liked.
2. The creative freedom to strategize and implement your ideas into your business; and seeing how they impact the customer experience and increase your sales. This includes the studying competitors and what tactics can be applied to gain advantage. Before I sold stuff on eBay, I bought stuff on eBay. I knew how I wanted to be treated as a customer and I used this knowledge once I switched to selling. =)
3. Working at your own pace and having control over your schedule, but also knowing that how much you earn depends on how much effort you exert.
4. The high of receiving money directly from people. Richard once said that he liked having a business ("kinukuha ko ang pera nila") vs being a customer ("kunukuha nila ang pera ko"). I used to contest that he got something in exchange anyway, but now I understand.=)
I don't know where this selling will get me and my sister (her stuff, I sell). It's definitely just a hobby for now, but it's also good that it's income-generating and I am able to exercise my entrepreneurial muscles.
Comments
Post a Comment