20 Unconventional Entrepreneurs That Will Inspire You6609770
I just took one entrepreneurship class in college (I was a Women's Studies major at Washington University in St. Louis...we will cut THAT story for now). In lots of situations it was a parade of traditional entrepreneurship, although it was a class that is strong. For example, here were common steps heard throughout the semester:
Come up with an idea.
Research the heck from the idea, compose an enormous business plan, raise money, create company.
Wave farewell to friends and family as your life is your business. Yay.
Expand company by hiring one zillion people after creating business and move into every marketplace on earth.
Following your huge growth into a domination that is global, sell your company for top dollar.
Post-sale, go back to step one or retire to your own preferred island and wash, rinse, repeat.
Now, there is nothing wrong with this guidance per say. Actually, there was a parade of special guests through the session that shared their narrative that fit into those steps one manner or another.
The issue, as I see it, is less in validity of the advice and instead more in the limits of it. Meaning, entrepreneurship certainly does not have to look like, feel like, be like or follow most of those measures. It's like offering a class but the only real sport is baseball.
Fact is, there are many types of entrepreneurs.
There are entrepreneurs whose entire aim will be to establish a company and sell it for as much as you can or take it public. These are the "big way outs" we hear about in the technology world.
There are entrepreneurs who create a business to franchise it (the E-Myth philosophy). Examples where I am from in St. Louis contain a chain of tanning salons and massage parlors.
There are entrepreneurs that create factories. Maybe the factory makes cups or hats or something of the like.
There are entrepreneurs which are in more traditional sectors that have no aspirations of selling but rather look to make a living brick and mortar style. A good example could be the corner bakery or a clothing boutique.
There are Internet entrepreneurs focused on creative passive income by any means essential to make a living (and perhaps enjoy life on the beach or something). Example might be someone who sells vitamin nutritional supplements online.
However, there's an alternative group all together that I wager you're a part of (I understand I am). And that's the entrepreneurs that are unconventional. Features of the group include:
Doing work that matters. Not only work to make a dollar (such as selling weird vitamin supplements online..unless you're ridiculously passionate about vitamins, and in that case stone on). Work that you are passionate about. Work that makes a difference. Work that is art. Cash follows passion and never the other way around.
Challenging the manner it has always been done. Shifting sectors which were stayed for years (or decades or centuries). Creative disrupters.
Appreciating the fruits of our labour. No, this doesn't conventional entrepreneurs don't work hard. It only means we understand and live by the philosophy that there surely is more to life than just work (passions and hobbies outside work, friends as well as family, enjoying life the manner in which you need to).
Does this mean as an unusual entrepreneur that you can't sell your company or hire a group of folks? Not in any way. It simply ensures that you aren't conforming to the boundaries of conventional entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, I Have had the incredible chance to interview over 300 entrepreneurs of sizes and shapes. Traditional and non-traditional. Enormous businesses and solopreneurs. People who have sold others among 50 firms that have started one. But I'd have to say, if I had been hard pressed, my favourite ones will be the unconventional ones (and that is where most interviews will fall in the immediate future). Thomas Caufmann Here is listing of them, in no particular order, that I bet you'll pick up ideas, insights and inspiration from. Appreciate!
Why? Successful unfulfilled from his previous venture, Andrew has made it his life's mission to inspire and help startups.
Interview with Andrew
- 2: Ishita Gupta - panic.less
Why? Who says magazines must be in print? Consistently a disrupter, Ishita is changing the publishing world through her unique magazine panic.less.
Interview with Ishita
- 3: Tucker Max - TuckerMax.com
Why? Rejected by everybody in the publishing world, Tucker didn't give up. Instead, he took his outrageous, hilarious stories to the Net and results have been astounding.
Why? Leader and the quintessential disrupter, Seth Godin is throwing a wrench into the publishing industry with The Domino Project.
Interview with Seth
- 5: Neil Strauss - NeilStrauss.com
Why? Is it feasible to earn a living by learning and infiltrating in the secret world of celebrities, pick up multiple and artists -passport sneaky world travelers? Neil has done it.
Interview with Neil
Why? Moving to Africa? Being a specialist writer in significantly less than one year? Inspiring others to not live conventional lives?
- 7: Matthew Inman - TheOatmeal.com
Why? By doing it his way, Matt has established an empire from his hilarious and unique comics.
- 8: Rob and Kim Murgatroyd - JetSetLife.TV
Why? They created one of the greatest jobs ever for themselves: composing unique, insider guidebooks and Traveling to the world's poshest areas. Sweet.
Interview with Rob and Kim
Why? What does Jason get to do all day? He's paid to wear tops and create all kinds of other goodies along with enjoyable videos online. Sweet.
- 10: Tim Ferriss - FourHourWorkWeek.com
Why? Yes, all of US understand Tim has inspired an incredible amount of men and women to work less, live more (and more lately, get in great shape), but there's a lot to understand from how Tim has created his own business and lifestyle. He is a walking model of unconventional entrepreneurship.
Interview with Tim
Why? The guy that has built an empire around wearing a name tag everyday for the previous 10 years and counting. You must see it to believe it.
- 12: Michael Buckley - What The Buck
Why? Michael turned it into his dream profession and took a love. His show, Exactly What The Buck, is among YouTube's most popular
Interview with Michael
- 13: Adam Baker - Guy Vs. Debt
Why? Can the act of sharing the insights become a business and getting yourself? Leave Adam Baker to turn it into one with it.
- 14: Chris Ducker - Virtual Company 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 - Freezer Burns
Why? Two words: Frozen food. That's just the subject matter of this non-traditional entrepreneur's web show.
- 16: Elizabeth Marshall - Author Telesminars
Why? She turned it into a fantastic profession and found her passion for novels. The top part might be she gets the pick of the litter when it comes to her clients.
Interview with Elizabeth
Why? Vanessa did not wait to be picked. A parenting book was written by her from a teen's perspective when she was a teen. Her empire has unbelievable expanded since then and she gets to do every day, what she loves.
Interview with Vanessa
- 18: Jonathan Coulton - JonathanCoulton.com
Why? The entrepreneurial musician. His business model allows him to create (and generate profits from) the music he desires without the limits of a label.
Interview with Jonathan
Why? The guy who is redefining the world of cartooning. And it is being done by him .
Interview with Scott Kurtz
- 20: Nate Houghteling and Kai Hasson - White Collar Brawler
Why? Quitting their day jobs to become amateur fighters and make movement and a web-based web series? This items is just awesome.
