The Creative Entrepreneur

growth of young entrepreneursThe Conventional Entrepreneur

en·tre·pre·neur:

"The owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits"

The entrepreneur seeks to make a profit – at least, conventionally speaking.

The conventional entrepreneur believes he can do something better (cheaper, faster, closer etc.) than what exists in the market place.

He builds something to fill a need in exchange for profit, and, we might imagine, does so because profit is the goal.

The Conventional Artist

art·ist:

"One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts"

The artist creates things of aesthetic value – again, at least conventionally speaking.

The artist does what he is compelled to do – which is to create art.  The artist creates what doesn’t exist, and, we might imagine, does so because he loves his craft intrinsically.

An Alternative

I propose a third option.

Someone who loves the process as much as the potential impact; who wouldn’t create if it didn’t affect others powerfully and positively; who takes himself seriously enough to do the terrifying, creative things others would gladly avoid.

I propose the idea of an entrepreneur who doesn’t create solely for return on investment, and an artist who doesn’t create solely for internal self-satisfaction.

I propose a hybrid: the Creative Entrepreneur.

The Creative Entrepreneur

cre·a·tive en·tre·pre·neur:

One whose business is an extension of one’s personality and art; whose purpose is creating something bigger than oneself, something that can grow and expand, but never at the expense of creating art as a gift; who seeks true freedom, even if it means uncertainty or failure; who desires self-determination, even if it means challenging the tribe; who does the hard, creative work, day in and day out, because it matters.

Creative Entrepreneurs in Action*

The Creative Entrepreneur weaves his art into every project, like AJ Leon from Misfits Inc. (twitter: @ajleon)

The Creative Entrepreneur invents beautiful, practical tools that enhance our lives, like Nate Kutsko of Kutsko Kitchen (twitter: @kutskokitchen)

The Creative Entrepreneur tells a story through film and story (and teaches others how to do the same), like Benjamin Jenks from Adventure Sauce (twitter: @benjaminojenks), or writes to inspire writers, like Jeff Goins from Goinswriter.com (twitter: @JeffGoins ).

Happy Discomfort

This concept is nothing new – the Creative Entrepreneur has always existed (from Archemides to Da Vinci to Ford).

But now, becoming a Creative Entrepreneur isn’t just more attainable than it’s ever been, it’s more imperative.

The ordinary fades away, the average is ignored, and the usual is just that (and lost in the noise).

But the Creative Entrepreneur stands out, sticks around, and leaves an impact.

The life of the Creative Entrepreneur isn’t easy, nor is it comfortable.

But it’s not supposed to be. 

We need to be happy in this wonderland without once being merely comfortable. [G. K. Chesterton]

 

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5 comments on “The Creative Entrepreneur”

  1. Yup--creative entrepreneurs are the best! I have another term I like to use: writer-preneurs. I define this as: a writer who has an entrepreneurial mindset and sees opportunity in using his/her writing skills as the basis for earning income.

    1. Jennifer - I like your writer-preneur idea...definitely congruent with the creative entrepreneur concept.

      Do you make a distinction between freelancing (trading time for dollars) and entrepreneurship (being able to make money even while you're away)?

  2. Can I just say what a relief to find an individual who essentially knows what theyre talking about on the net. You absolutely know how to bring an problem to light and make it significant. Extra people today should read this and realize this side of the story. I cant think youre not far more well known because you absolutely have the gift.

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