20 Unusual Entrepreneurs That'll Inspire You7851954
I just took one entrepreneurship class in college (I was a Women's Studies major at Washington University in St. Louis...we will skip THAT narrative for now). It turned out to be a class that is sound, but in several cases it was a parade of traditional entrepreneurship. For instance, here were common measures heard throughout the term:
Think of an idea.
Find out more about the heck out of the thought, compose a business plan that is substantial, raise money, create business.
As your life is the business wave goodbye to family and friends.
By hiring one zillion people after creating business, expand business and move into every market in the world.
Following your huge growth into a worldwide domination, sell your company for top dollar.
Post-sale, retire to your favorite island or return to step one and wash, rinse, repeat.
Now, there is nothing wrong with this advice per say. Actually, there was a parade of special guests throughout the term that shared their narrative that fit into those measures one way or another.
The problem, as I see it, is less in cogency of the advice and instead more in the limits of it. Significance, feel like entrepreneurship definitely does not have to look like, be like or follow most of those measures. It's sort of like offering a course but the only sport is baseball.
Fact is, there are many types of entrepreneurs.
There are entrepreneurs whose entire aim would be to establish a company and sell it for as much as you can or take it public. These are the "large exits" we hear about in the technology world.
There are entrepreneurs who create a company to franchise it (the E-Myth philosophy). Examples where I'm from in St. Louis include a chain of tanning salons and massage parlors.
There are. Perhaps the factory makes something of the like or hats or cups.
There are entrepreneurs which can be in more traditional sectors that have no aspirations of selling but instead look to make a living brick and mortar design. An example might be a clothing boutique or the corner bakery.
There are Internet entrepreneurs focused on creative passive income by any means necessary to make a living (and maybe appreciate life on the beach or something). Example might be someone who sells vitamin supplements online.
But, there is another group all together that I bet you are a part of (I understand I 'm). And that is the unconventional entrepreneurs. Features of the group include:
Doing work that matters. Not simply work to earn a dollar (such as selling bizarre vitamin supplements online..unless you are ridiculously enthusiastic about vitamins, and in that case stone on). Work that you're passionate about. Work that makes a difference. Work that is artwork. Money follows passion and not the other way around.
Challenging the way it's always been done. Altering businesses which were stayed for years (or decades or centuries). Creative disrupters.
Enjoying the fruits of our job. No, this doesn't mean non-traditional entrepreneurs do not work difficult. It only means we understand and live by the doctrine that there surely is a lot more to life than just work (fires and hobbies beyond work, friends and family, enjoying life the way you desire to).
Does this mean as an unconventional entrepreneur that your business can't be sold by you or hire a group of folks? Not at all. It merely means that you aren't conforming to the confines of conventional entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, I Have had the incredible opportunity to interview over 300 entrepreneurs of all sizes and shapes. Conventional and non-conventional. Enormous companies and solopreneurs. People that have sold 50 firms among others that have started one. But I Had need to state, if I had been hard-pressed, my favorite ones will be the non-traditional ones (and that's where most interviews will drop in the immediate future). Tommy Caufmann This is record of them, in no special order, that I wager you will pick up thoughts insights and inspiration from. Love!
- 1: Andrew Warner - Mixergy.com
Why? Successful not yet fulfilled from his previous venture, Andrew has made it his life's mission.
- 2: Ishita Gupta - panic.less
Why? Who says magazines must be in print? Always a disrupter, Ishita is changing the publishing world through her exceptional magazine anxiety.less.
Why? Rejected by everybody in the publishing world, Tucker didn't give up. Rather, he took his wild, hilarious stories to the World Wide Web and results have been astounding.
Interview with Tucker
- 4: Seth Godin - SethGodin.com
Why? The quintessential disrupter and leader, Seth Godin is throwing a wrench to the publishing business with The Domino Project.
Interview with Seth
- 5: Neil Strauss - NeilStrauss.com
Why? How is it possible to make a living by infiltrating and learning in the secret world of stars, pick up multiple and artists -passport world travelers that are sneaky? Neil has done it.
- 6: Chris Guillebeau - ChrisGuillebeau.com
Why? Moving to Africa? Becoming a professional writer in significantly less than one year? Inspiring others to live non-traditional lives? Check, check and check.
- 7: Matthew Inman - TheOatmeal.com
Why? By doing it his way, Matt has created an empire from his unique and hilarious comics.
Interview with Matt
- 8: Rob and Kim Murgatroyd - JetSetLife.TV
Why? They created one of the greatest jobs ever Traveling to the poshest places in the world and composing unique, insider guidebooks. Sweet.
Interview with Rob and Kim
- 9: Jason Sadler - IWearYourShirt.com
Why? Exactly what does Jason get to do? He is paid to wear tops and create a variety of enjoyable videos as well as other goodies online. Sweet.
Interview with Jason
Why? Yes, all of US understand Tim has inspired an amazing quantity of men and women to work less, live more (and more lately, get in great shape), but there is a whole lot to understand from how Tim has created his own company and lifestyle. He's a walking model of entrepreneurship that is non-traditional.
Interview with Tim
Why? The guy who has built an empire around wearing a name tag regular for the past 10 years and counting. You need to see it to believe it.
- 12: Michael Buckley - What The Buck
Why? Michael turned it into his dream career and took a love for pop culture. His show, What The Buck, is one among YouTube's most popular
Interview with Michael
- 13: Adam Baker - Man Vs. Debt
Why? Can the action of sharing the insights become a business and getting yourself out of debt? Leave Adam Baker to turn it into one with it.
Interview with Adam
- 14: Chris Ducker - Virtual Business Lifestyle
Why? The walk walks and talks the talk. His company is probably running from a shore somewhere, as I type this.
- 15: Gregory Ng - Deep Freezer Burns
Why? Two words: Frozen food. That is precisely the subject matter of this unconventional entrepreneur's internet show.
Interview with Greg
- 16: Elizabeth Marshall - Writer Telesminars
Why? She found her passion for novels and turned it into an amazing career. The best part might be she gets the pick of the litter when it comes to her customers.
Interview with Elizabeth
- 17: Vanessa Van Petten - RadicalParenting.com
Why? Vanessa did not wait to be decided. She composed a parenting book from a teen's perspective when she was a teenager. Her empire has incredible grown since then and she gets to do every day what she adores.
Interview with Vanessa
Why? The entrepreneurial musician. His business model allows him to create (and earn money from) the music he desires without the boundaries of a label.
Interview with Jonathan
Why? The guy who is redefining the world of cartooning. And he's doing it .
Interview with Scott Kurtz
- 20: Kai Hasson and Nate Houghteling - White Collar Brawler
Why? Quitting their day jobs create movement and an online web series and to become recreational fighters? This stuff is simply awesome.
