20 Unconventional Entrepreneurs That'll Inspire You7263310
I just took one entrepreneurship course in college (I was a Women's Studies major at Washington University in St. Louis...we will skip THAT narrative for now). In many cases it was a parade of traditional entrepreneurship, although it turned out to be a course that is sound. For instance, here were common steps heard throughout the term:
Think of an idea.
Research the heck out of the idea, compose a business plan that is huge, raise money, create company.
As now your life is the business, wave good-bye to family and friends. Yay.
Expand business by hiring one zillion folks after creating business and move into every marketplace on earth.
Following your enormous expansion into a domination that is worldwide, sell your business for top dollar.
Post-sale, wash, rinse, repeat and return to step one or retire to your chosen island.
Now, there's nothing wrong with this advice per say. The truth is, there was a parade of special guests through the semester that shared their narrative that fit into those measures one manner or another.
There are entrepreneurs who create a company to franchise it (the E-Myth doctrine). Examples where I'm from in St. Louis comprise a chain of tanning salons and massage parlors.
There are. Possibly the factory makes hats or cups or something of the like.
There are entrepreneurs which can be in more traditional businesses who 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 clothes boutique.
There are Internet entrepreneurs focused on creative passive income by any means essential to earn 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're part of (I know I 'm). And that's the unconventional entrepreneurs. Characteristics of this group comprise:
Doing work that matters. Not just work to make a dollar (such as selling odd vitamin supplements online..unless you're ridiculously passionate about vitamins, and in that case rock on). Work that you're passionate about. Work that's artwork. Cash follows passion rather than the other way around.
Challenging the manner it's been done. Doing it your way. Shifting industries which were stuck for years (or decades or centuries).
Appreciating the fruits of our work. No, this doesn't mean non-traditional entrepreneurs don't work challenging. It only means we understand and live by the philosophy that there is a lot more to life than just work (fires and hobbies outside of work, friends as well as family, enjoying life just how you would like to).
Does this mean as an unusual entrepreneur that your business can't be sold by you or hire a bunch of people? Not in any way. It just ensures that you aren't conforming to the bounds of conventional entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, I Have had the incredible opportunity to interview over 300 entrepreneurs of all sizes and shapes. Traditional and non-traditional. Businesses that are tremendous and solopreneurs. People that have sold others and 50 companies which have started one. But I Had need to express, if I had been hard pressed, my favourite ones will be the unconventional ones (and that's where most interviews will fall in the immediate future).
The problem, as I see it, is less instead more and in validity of the guidance in the limits of it. Meaning, entrepreneurship surely does not have to look like, feel like, be like or follow most of those steps. The only real sport covered is baseball, although it's like offering a class on sports.
Fact is, there are lots of types of entrepreneurs.
There are entrepreneurs whose entire aim is to build a business and sell it for as much as you can or take it public. All these are the "enormous way outs" we hear about in the technology world. Tom Caufmann This is list of them, in no special order, that I wager you'll pick up ideas insights and inspiration from. Appreciate!
Why? Successful yet unfulfilled from his previous endeavor, Andrew has made it his life's mission.
Interview with Andrew
- 2: Ishita Gupta - panic.less
Why? Who says magazines have to be in print? Always a disrupter, Ishita is changing the publishing world through her unique magazine panic.less.
Interview with Ishita
Why? Rejected by everyone in the publishing world, Tucker did not give up. Instead, he took his crazy, hilarious stories to the World Wide Web and results have been astounding.
Why? The quintessential disrupter and leader, a wrench is throwing to the publishing industry together with The Domino Project.
Interview with Seth
- 5: Neil Strauss - NeilStrauss.com
Why? How is it possible to make a living by learning and infiltrating in the secret world of stars, pick up artists and multiple -passport sneaky world travelers? Neil has done it.
Interview with Neil
- 6: Chris Guillebeau - ChrisGuillebeau.com
Why? Becoming a specialist writer in less than one year? Inspiring others to not live conventional lives? Check, check and check.
- 7: Matthew Inman - TheOatmeal.com
Why? Matt has established an empire from his unique and hilarious comics by doing it his way.
Interview with Matt
- 8: Rob and Kim Murgatroyd - JetSetLife.TV
Why? They created one of the greatest jobs ever composing unique, insider guidebooks and Traveling to the world's poshest places. Sweet.
Interview with Rob and Kim
Why? Exactly what does all day, Jason get to do? Create all sorts of fun videos along with other goodies online and he's paid to wear shirts. Sweet.
Why? Yes, all of US know Tim has inspired an incredible quantity 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.
- 11: Scott Ginsberg - HelloMyNameIsScott.com
Why? The man that has built an empire around counting and wearing a name tag everyday for the past 10 years. You've got to see it to believe it.
- 12: Michael Buckley - What The Dollar
Why? Michael turned it into his dream career and took a love. His show, Exactly What The Dollar, is one of YouTube's most popular
- 13: Adam Baker - Guy Vs. Debt
Why? Can the action of getting yourself and sharing the insights become a business? Leave Adam Baker to turn it with it.
- 14: Chris Ducker - Virtual Business Lifestyle
Why? Chris talks the talk and walks the walk. He's likely running his company from a beach somewhere, as I type this.
- 15: Gregory Ng - Freezer Burns
Why? That is exactly the subject matter of this unusual entrepreneur's internet show.
- 16: Elizabeth Marshall - Author Telesminars
Why? She found her passion for novels and turned it into a fantastic profession. The best part might be she gets the pick of the litter when it comes to her customers.
Interview with Elizabeth
Why? Vanessa didn't wait to be picked. When she was a teen she composed a parenting book from a teen's perspective. Her empire has unbelievable grown since then and she gets to do every day, what she adores.
Interview with Vanessa
- 18: Jonathan Coulton - JonathanCoulton.com
Why? The musician that is entrepreneurial. His business model permits him to create (and generate profits from) the music he desires without the boundaries of a label.
Interview with Jonathan
- 19: Scott Kurtz - PvP
Why? The guy who's redefining the world of cartooning. And he is doing it on his terms.
Interview with Scott Kurtz
- 20: Kai Hasson and Nate Houghteling - White Collar Brawler
Why? Leaving their day jobs to become recreational fighters and create an online web series and movement? This items is simply awesome.
