What Is The Purpose Of Entrepreneurship? 21 Answers from 21 Unusual Entrepreneurs

Regardless of the goal, task or activity being undertaken, there are a lot of factors that can be attributed to your success or failure in any given endeavour.

But of all these factors, none is as powerful as personal conviction –a deep seated belief that you can accomplish the goal, task or activity and an unwavering commitment to do whatever it takes to get it done.

This personal conviction comes from clarity of purpose –an unbiased understanding of WHY [the reason] you are undertaking such task or activity and the fundamental ROLE [the importance] of such task or activity in your immediate environment.

Without this clarity of purpose, the will to pursue the goal despite countless hurdles will be missing.

The same principle applies to entrepreneurship; the entrepreneurs who succeed in business have a strong personal conviction that they would base on their clarity of purpose. In other words, they know why they are doing what they are doing and the importance of what they are doing [entrepreneurship] and this knowledge gives them the self-belief and commitment to follow-through to the end.

Success for them is not an option, but an obligation.

They have to succeed because the goal, task or activity they have undertaken is too important for them to fail. So they commit to the journey, they persist against all odds and eventually accomplish what they set out to do.

Why?

Because of;

• Clarity of purpose: they are clear about what they are doing and they know the importance of what they are doing

• Personal conviction: they belief in what they are doing and are committed to what they are doing

What Is The Purpose Of Entrepreneurship? 21 Answers from 21 Unusual Entrepreneurs

One of the reasons I started the unusual entrepreneur interviews was to help you identify the common traits of successful entrepreneurs and apply them to your entrepreneurial journey.

So far, I have interviewed over 30 unusual entrepreneurs across the world and the more I interview them, the more I recognize the same fundamental principles underlying their entrepreneurial journey. As a matter of fact, this is major reason I started the interviews in the first place, to identify patterns. That’s why the questions are always the same regardless of the entrepreneur in on the hot seat.

Today, I bring to you 21 unusual entrepreneurs who have answered one particular question with the same underlying principle to help you discover your own clarity of purpose!

Their answers to this ONE question, will give you a glimpse into what makes them successful in business. I want you to carefully observe their choice of words; it will reveal their mindset and philosophy about entrepreneurship.

Here’s the unusual question;

What would you describe as the purpose of entrepreneurship? That is; what role do entrepreneurs play in the world?

1.       Yaro Starak of entrepreneurs-journey.com

Entrepreneurs are the ideas people. They come up with better ways to do things or new ways to do things that other people then benefit from.

2.       Jon Morrow of boostblogtraffic.com

Entrepreneurs make the world better. Really, if you think about it, that’s what we do. We find some way the world can be improved, and then we improve it in exchange for payment. In my opinion, it’s the most valuable role you can have in the world, because we are the drivers of progress.

3.       Olufemi Omotayo Of Entrepre-NEWS.com

Entrepreneurs are problem solvers. The world is full of problems, but identifying problems is the lowest level of intelligence. You should be able to go beyond that to actually proffering solution. Entrepreneurs see needs around them and meet those needs profitably. In the end, everybody benefits.

4.       Mark Schaefer of BusinessesGrow.com

I have been in business for 30 years and I am an unabashed lover of business. Business is usually depicted as the greedy villains but you know what? This is what really makes the world work.  Economic recovery will be led by entrepreneurs, not a stimulus package.  Many environmental issues are being solved by companies large and small — not regulations. Given the opportunity, entrepreneurs will solve our energy issues, not misguided government investments.  Even most charities are funded by companies and corporate foundations. So I think a focus on education and entrepreneurship is vital to not just the creation of wealth, but to our entire way of life.

5.       Matt Cheuvront of LifeWithoutPants.com

Entrepreneurs create opportunities. For their clients. For customers. For people looking for work. For ideas. Entrepreneurship is beautiful because it opens the doors to possibilities we never knew existed. Imagine if Mark Zuckerberg hadn’t have sat down in front of a computer. Imagine if Steve Jobs never started tooling around with Steve Wozniak. Where would we be? Ideas + Hustle create opportunity. That’s what entrepreneurship is all about.

6.       Kristin and Shannon of {r}evolution Apparel

The role of the entrepreneur is to facilitate trades that improve the living conditions of all participants. An entrepreneur sources materials, and provides a living for her suppliers. She then creates a product that adds value; one that improves happiness or advances society, without harming people or planet in the process. Ultimately, entrepreneurs are the people who move society — in which direction depends on the entrepreneur.

7.       Bamidele Onibalusi Of YoungPrePro.com

They change the world! Entrepreneurs create businesses, they inspire people to business, and they teach people to confidently do whatever they want; you don’t need to spend your life in an office working under somebody else when you can easily achieve a lot more through your own business.

8.     Joe Falter Of HelloFood.com

Entrepreneurship is ultimately about innovation. Entrepreneurs are here to do things better, invent new ways of doing them, or to change the status quo altogether. Take Hellofood for example – we have recognized that ordering food in Lagos and other parts of Africa can be stressful, difficult and confusing, and we have set out to simplify the process and make it more efficient. If, through that process, we have made people’s lives easier, and perhaps inspired other people to do the same in other areas, then I’m happy with the role we’re playing.

9.       Dane Maxwell Of TheFoundation.io

I don’t really care about business per say. It’s the process of entrepreneurship that excites me. We believe that entrepreneurship is the greatest vehicle for personal growth, self discovery, and impact on the world.

10.   Babatunde Oladele Of TRWconsult.com

I think entrepreneurship is all about offering value. Some people may launch out just to make money. But if the product or service you are offering is not perceived as valuable by the market, then your chances of making money will be limited. It is to the extent that the market attributes value to your output that your bottom line would increase.

Entrepreneurship is meeting identified needs and plugging holes for people for various reasons. It may be so that they can live longer and better, that they can make more money or not lose money, that they might look good or be perceived in a positive light in the society, and so on.

11.    Jeet Banerjee Of StatFuse.com

I think entrepreneurs help the world grow because everything around us was built by an entrepreneur at some point of time.

12.    Larry Kelto Of TheSolopreneurLife.com

I think entrepreneurs drive innovation, and innovation is the source of most human achievement. Entrepreneurs take risks and try new things that other people don’t. So I think entrepreneurs are responsible for the improvement and advancement of societies.

13.    Adedeji Opoola Of EazyAppetite.com

Entrepreneurs shape the world we live in; they change the world every day. In fact, I believe entrepreneurship will solve a large part of the economic problems we are currently facing in this part of the world. Entrepreneurs shape economies and this is why many countries strive to create the best working environment for them.

14.    AJ Leon Of PursuitOfEverything.com

I think entrepreneurship is just a canvas. It is simply a medium by which to express your creativity, domain knowledge and art. It is more art than science, certainly. Entrepreneurs are the great explorers of our age. They are the Drake’s, the Magellan’s, the individuals with the courage to press into the thick darkness of uncertainty and into the horizon and show us a better or newer way.

15.   Bassey Daniel Of SMEclub.net

I believe the future of every economy lies in the hands of entrepreneurs. Every major economy in the world today owes its ascendancy and prosperity to the spirit of enterprise. Governments can only do so much. While capitalism has its disadvantages, I believe it is still better than other options because it promotes creativity, innovation and rapid development by encouraging and rewarding free enterprise.

16.   Bernadette Jiwa Of TheStoryOfTelling.com

Entrepreneurs are the dreamers that ‘do’. The world needs people who are not only capable of imagining the future, but those who know how to go out and create it. That’s what entrepreneurship is all about –going out and creating the future and anyone who is doing this, is a true entrepreneur.

17.   Johan Nel Of UmuntuMedia.com

Entrepreneurs are the backbone of any society. We are the disruptors, we create future wealth, future commerce, we build new industries; we innovate and move the world forward.

18.   Mike Morris Of Triplefy.com

Entrepreneurship is the freedom to follow your own path. I believe entrepreneurs play a very important role in the world today. We are innovators; we are making people’s lives better and easier by providing easy solutions to hard problems. Entrepreneurs are able to create jobs and better the world around us.

19.   Mark McGuinness Of LateralAction.com

The thing I really like about entrepreneurs is their drive to make things better. I don’t necessarily agree with every entrepreneur’s definition of ‘better’, but I do admire the basic drive to get out there and make something happen, to start ripples. I don’t think (m)any of us get to change the world single-handed, but I’m a firm believer in the ‘ripple effect’ – doing something that has a positive effect on the people and systems around you, and trusting that will be a worthwhile contribution to the bigger world out there.

20.   Jenny Blake of LifeAfterCollege.org

Creating value through innovation by solving a problem or pain that people are experiencing, or making an existing process more efficient or effective.

21.   Mark Harai Of MarkHarai.com

They imagine and then build our future – and in the process create jobs and mentor future entrepreneurs to do the same. They make the world go around.

Why do you do what you do?

I hope these 21 answers will help you find your own clarity of purpose. You can share it with us in the comment section below.