Tuesday, June 19, 2012

3 cheers for a special group of entrepreneurs

The Connecticut Community Investment Corp. (CTCIC) was kind enough to invite me to speak to an audience of entrepreneurs about the subject of social media Monday evening.

It was a pleasure and a privilege.

Here's what I learned. Being an entrepreneur is a day-to-day struggle. There's the shaky economy, fierce competition, ability to sustain positive cash flow and the never ending challenge of finding more customers. Such is life when you are in their shoes.

There's another side that is worth noting. The group was energetic, curious, engaging and committed to maintain the title of entrepreneur. Some had come from the other side of the tracks (corporate world) and you could tell there wasn't a desire to go back. Most of them shared a story about a specific challenge, while being determined to somehow, someway make it happen.

The part of the meeting I enjoyed most was when I challenged them to tell me why they do what they do.  Not surprisingly there were very different reasons for their motivations. All were fascinating and highlighted their uniqueness and authenticity. Their biggest challenge is not losing sight of why they started their endeavor in the first place.

The entrepreneurial spirit needs to be elevated in this country, even if you have no interest in owning a business. Entrepreneurial people behave differently, tell different stories and approach each new day with a cause and purpose in their lives. Can you say the same thing?

I celebrate the small business owner and wish them the best as they lead us out of our tough economic times!

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