The Stigma of being an Entrepreneur

[Priya Ganesh]

I am just in a mood to reminisce and been having some maudlin thoughts that I absolutely had to pen!

I remember a while ago an elderly gentleman (and a family friend) was pleasantly enquiring about us - how the kids are doing, how is my work and our general well being. When asking about work, he asked if we were still doing our own "stuff" . To his mind people in business were those who did not manage to snag a job.

For your talent and creativity you could have become an AVP at TCS by now, he admonished me. Instead you are struggling and doing all this by yourself. I did not know whether to be annoyed or amused - annoyed that he thinks I am wasting my time and amused as he thinks the work at any of the corporates would be all frills and feathers.

I could not help but think that for all the hype about having the guts to take your own course there is still a stigma around being an entrepreneur. In some circles it is tantamount to being selfish - that the entrepreneur has thought only about himself/herself and not really provided for the financial security of the family (especially if he/she is a first generation entrepreneur who takes the plunge without having a day job as a cushion). If someone decides to take the plunge after being in the corporate world for sometime, earning a decent salary, having a tidy investment tucked away, even then he is termed a risk taker to fret away all his savings.

When will being an entrepreneur be considered an investment. it is a legacy a parent can leave for his child to carry on. Or it will be a learning that can teach valuable lessons that are beyond any degrees.

There are somethings money can't buy and to me the sprit of entrepreneurship is priceless!

[Shanmuga Raja]

Hi Priya, first of all, my very best wishes for you both.. even TCS wouldnt be there if the founder is happy working for some big corporate, it take enormous guts to be on our own, and work towards something this world yet to see, but we have realized it is there - i mean the success. please never hear those crap, i know how discouraging they can be.. i was there before, i listened to it, but u are not - which is good. keep going!!!! :)

[dr.k v rajendran]

dear madam
comment must have emanated from a person close to you who does not want you to struggle
all success stories started with sweat and toil
only the best can suceed
kv rajendran

[Ramesh]

Really Priya ? You think that there's still a stigma to being an entrepreneur ? I thinks even our conservative society has come a long way from the days when a government job was the ultimate pinnacle in life. Salute you brave men and women who have had the courage to venture out on your own. More power and success to you all.

[Praveen Kumar]

I think it's always good to get such negative feedbacks; I guess that will push the entrepreneur's drive more & more and importantly keep reminding that we are here for some purpose . I think an entrepreneur is equally good as a freedom fighter who need not expect everyone to support from the scratch. Taking in account of feedbacks /resistance that an entrepreneur who would have started 30 years back in India, what we face would be negligible.

[T.J.Sanjay Dev]

well said madam, i think being a entrepreneur can give more learning's than IIMs and any other B school, when we become successful the same people will say" i know you will achieve this " :)