20 Unusual Entrepreneurs That'll Inspire You7127105
I just took one entrepreneurship course in school (I was a Women's Studies major at Washington University in St. Louis...we will miss THAT story for now). It was a class that is strong, but in lots of cases it was a parade of traditional entrepreneurship. For example, here were common measures heard throughout the semester:
Develop an idea.
Research the heck out of the notion, compose a business plan that is massive, raise money, create company.
As your life is your business, wave farewell to family and friends.
Expand business by hiring one zillion people after creating business and move into every marketplace on earth.
Following your massive growth into a worldwide domination, 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's nothing wrong with this guidance per say. In reality, there was a parade of special guests throughout the session that shared their narrative that fit into those steps one manner or another.
The situation, as I see it, is less in cogency of the advice and instead more in the constraints of it. Significance, follow most of those measures, feel like, be like or entrepreneurship definitely does not have to look like. The one sport covered is baseball, although it is like offering a course on sports.
Fact is, there are many kinds of entrepreneurs.
There are entrepreneurs whose entire aim is really to build a company and sell it for as much as possible or take it public. These are the "enormous way outs" we hear about in the tech world.
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 entrepreneurs that create factories. Possibly the factory makes hats or cups or something of the like.
There are entrepreneurs that are in more traditional industries who have no aspirations of selling but instead look to make a living brick and mortar style. A good 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 love life on the seashore or something). Example might be someone who sells vitamin supplements online.
But, there's an alternative group all together that I bet you are a part of (I know I 'm). And that's the entrepreneurs that are non-traditional. Characteristics of the group comprise:
Doing work that questions. Not simply work to make a dollar (such as selling weird vitamin nutritional supplements online..unless you're ridiculously enthusiastic about vitamins, and in that case rock on). Work that you're passionate about. Work that makes a difference. Work that's artwork. Cash follows passion and not the other way around.
Challenging the manner it has ever been done. Shifting businesses that have been stayed for years (or decades or centuries).
Appreciating the fruits of our job. No, this does not mean non-traditional entrepreneurs do not work challenging. It only means we understand and live by the doctrine that there is a lot more to life than just work (passions and hobbies beyond work, friends and family, enjoying life the way you want to).
Does this mean as an unusual entrepreneur that you can not sell your business or hire a group of people? Not at all. It just implies that you aren't conforming to the limits of traditional entrepreneurs.
Since 2008, I Have had the unbelievable opportunity to interview over 300 entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes. Conventional and non-conventional. Huge companies and solopreneurs. People who have sold others among 50 businesses which have started one. But I Had need to say, if I was hard-pressed, my favorite ones are the unusual ones (and that is where most interviews will fall in the immediate future). Mr Thomas Caufmann This is a set of 20 of them, in no particular order, that I wager you'll pick up thoughts, insights and inspiration from. Enjoy!
Why? Successful yet unfulfilled 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? Consistently a disrupter, Ishita is altering the publishing world through her unique magazine anxiety.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 wild, hilarious stories to the World Wide Web and results have been astounding.
Why? The quintessential disrupter and leader, Seth Godin is throwing a wrench into the publishing industry with The Domino Project.
Interview with Seth
Why? Is it possible to earn an income by learning and infiltrating in the secret world of stars, pick up artists and multiple -passport world travelers that are sneaky? Neil has done it.
- 6: Chris Guillebeau - ChrisGuillebeau.com
Why? Moving to Africa? Becoming an expert writer in significantly less than one year? Inspiring others to not live conventional lives?
- 7: Matthew Inman - TheOatmeal.com
Why? Matt has generated an empire from his unique and hilarious comics by doing it his way.
- 8: Kim Murgatroyd and Rob - JetSetLife.TV
Why? They created one of the coolest jobs for themselves: composing unique, insider guidebooks and Traveling to the world's poshest areas. Sweet.
Interview with Rob and Kim
- 9: Jason Sadler - IWearYourShirt.com
Why? Exactly what does all day, Jason get to do? He's paid to wear tops and create a variety of other goodies along with interesting videos online. Sweet.
Why? Yes, all of US understand Tim has inspired an incredible number of people to work less, live more (and more recently, get in great shape), but there is a great deal to understand from how Tim has created his own business and lifestyle. He is a walking version of entrepreneurship that is unusual.
Interview with Tim
- 11: Scott Ginsberg - HelloMyNameIsScott.com
Why? The guy that has built an empire around wearing a name tag regular for the previous 10 years and counting. You've got to see it to believe it.
Interview with Scott
- 12: Michael Buckley - What The Buck
Why? Michael turned it into his dream profession and took a love. His show, What The Buck, is one of YouTube's most popular
Interview with Michael
- 13: Adam Baker - Man Vs. Debt
Why? Can the act of getting yourself and sharing the insights become a business? Leave it to Adam Baker to turn it into one.
- 14: Chris Ducker - Virtual Business Lifestyle
Why? The walk walks and talks the talk. His business is likely 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 the unusual entrepreneur's net show.
- 16: Elizabeth Marshall - Writer Telesminars
Why? She turned it into a fantastic career and found her passion for books. The very best part might be she gets the pick of the litter as it pertains to her clients.
Interview with Elizabeth
- 17: Vanessa Van Petten - RadicalParenting.com
Why? Vanessa did not wait to be picked. When she was a teenager, she composed a parenting book from a teen's view. Her empire has unbelievable expanded since then and she gets to do what she loves every day.
Interview with Vanessa
Why? The entrepreneurial musician. His business model allows him to create (and earn money from) the music he wants without the limits of a label.
Interview with Jonathan
- 19: Scott Kurtz - PvP
Why? The man who is redefining the world of cartooning. And he's doing it on his terms.
- 20: Kai Hasson and Nate Houghteling - White Collar Brawler
Why? Leaving their day jobs to become recreational fighters and create movement and an online web series? This items is just wonderful.
