20 Unconventional Entrepreneurs That'll Inspire You3571533
I only took one entrepreneurship course in college (I was a Women's Studies major at Washington University in St. Louis...we will miss THAT narrative for now). It turned out to be a strong class, but in many situations it was a parade of traditional entrepreneurship. As an example, here were common measures heard throughout the semester:
Come up with an idea.
Research the heck from the thought, write a massive business plan, raise money, create company.
Wave good-bye to family and friends as now your life is your business.
By hiring one zillion people after creating business, expand business and move into every market in the world.
Following your massive 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 favorite island and wash, rinse, repeat.
Now, there is nothing wrong with this advice per say. The truth is, there was a parade of special guests throughout the term that shared their story that fit into those steps one manner or another.
There are entrepreneurs who create a company to franchise it (the E-Myth doctrine). Examples where I am from in St. Louis comprise a chain of tanning salons and massage parlors.
There are. Maybe the factory makes hats or cups or something of the like.
There are entrepreneurs which can be in more traditional businesses that have no aspirations of selling but instead look to earn a living brick and mortar style. An example may be a clothes boutique or the corner bakery.
There are Internet entrepreneurs focused on creative passive income by any means essential to earn a living (and maybe enjoy 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 know I am). And that's the entrepreneurs that are unconventional. Characteristics of this group comprise:
Doing work that matters. Not just work to make a dollar (such as selling bizarre vitamin nutritional supplements online..unless you're ridiculously enthusiastic about vitamins, and in that case rock on). Work that you are enthusiastic about. Work which is artwork. Money follows fire and never the other way around.
Challenging the manner it has been done. Doing it your way. Altering sectors that have been stuck for years (or decades or centuries). Creative disrupters.
Enjoying the fruits of our labour. No, this doesn't conventional entrepreneurs don't work challenging. It only means we understand and live by the philosophy that there surely is more to life than just work (fires and hobbies outside of work, friends as well as family, enjoying life the manner in which you would like to).
Does this mean as an unusual entrepreneur that you hire a group of people or can't sell your business? Not at all. It only ensures that you aren't conforming to the confines of conventional entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, I've had the incredible chance to interview over 300 entrepreneurs of all sizes and shapes. Conventional and non-traditional. Businesses that are huge and solopreneurs. People that have sold 50 companies among others which have started one. But I Had need to mention, if I had been hard pressed, my favourite ones will be the non-traditional ones (and that's where most interviews will fall in the immediate future).
The issue, as I see it, is less instead more and in cogency of the guidance in the limitations of it. Significance, feel like entrepreneurship surely doesn't have to look like, be like or follow most of those steps. The only sport is baseball, although it's like offering a course on sports.
Fact is, there is a variety of of entrepreneurs.
There are entrepreneurs whose whole goal would be to develop 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 tech world. Thomas Caufmann Here is record of them, in no particular order, that I wager you will pick up thoughts, insights and inspiration from. Enjoy!
Why? Successful yet unfulfilled from his previous endeavor, Andrew has made it his life's mission.
- 2: Ishita Gupta - panic.less
Why? Who says magazines must be in print? Consistently a disrupter, Ishita is altering the publishing world through her unique magazine fear.less.
Why? Rejected by everyone in the publishing world, Tucker didn't give up. Instead, he took his outrageous, hilarious stories to the World Wide Web and results have been astounding.
- 4: Seth Godin - SethGodin.com
Why? Leader and the quintessential disrupter, Seth Godin is throwing a wrench into the publishing industry with all The Domino Project.
Interview with Seth
Why? Is it possible to earn a living by infiltrating and learning from the secret world of celebs, pick up artists and multiple -passport sneaky world travelers? It has been done by Neil.
Interview with Neil
- 6: Chris Guillebeau - ChrisGuillebeau.com
Why? Moving to Africa? Becoming a specialist writer in significantly less than one year? Inspiring others to live unconventional lives? Check, check and check.
Why? Matt has created an empire from his unique and hilarious comic strips by doing it his way.
Interview with Matt
- 8: Kim Murgatroyd and Rob - JetSetLife.TV
Why? They created one of the coolest jobs ever Traveling to the world's poshest areas and composing unique, insider guidebooks. Sweet.
Interview with Kim and Rob
Why? What does all day, Jason get to do? He is paid to wear shirts and create all kinds of other goodies as well as entertaining videos online. Sweet.
Interview with Jason
- 10: Tim Ferriss - FourHourWorkWeek.com
Why? Yes, all of US understand Tim has inspired an amazing number of visitors to work less, live more (and more lately, get in great shape), however there is a great deal to learn from how Tim has created his own company and lifestyle. He's a walking version of unconventional entrepreneurship.
Why? The guy that has built an empire around counting and wearing a name tag regular for the previous 10 years. You have 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, Exactly What The Dollar, is one among YouTube's most popular
- 13: Adam Baker - Man Vs. Debt
Why? Can the act of getting yourself out of debt and sharing the insights become a business? Leave it to Adam Baker to turn it.
Interview with Adam
- 14: Chris Ducker - Virtual Company Lifestyle
Why? Chris walks the walk and talks the talk. His business is probably running from a shore somewhere, as I type this.
Interview with Chris
- 15: Gregory Ng - Freezer Burns
Why? Two words: Frozen food. That's exactly the subject matter of the unusual entrepreneur's net show.
Interview with Greg
- 16: Elizabeth Marshall - Author Telesminars
Why? She found her passion for books and turned it into a fantastic career. The very best part might be she gets the pick of the litter in regards to her clients.
Interview with Elizabeth
- 17: Vanessa Van Petten - RadicalParenting.com
Why? Vanessa did not wait to be picked. When she was a teen she wrote a parenting book from a teenager's perspective. Her empire has incredible grown 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 make money from) the music he wants without the confines of a label.
Interview with Jonathan
Why? The man who's redefining the world of cartooning. And he's doing it .
Interview with Scott Kurtz
- 20: Nate Houghteling and Kai Hasson - White Collar Brawler
Why? Quitting their day jobs make movement and a web-based web series and to become amateur fighters? This items is just amazing.
