Reimagining How We "Do" Entrepreneurship: More Accessible. More Creative. More Human.

I was recently sharing some thoughts with a Hampton Roads locality about what I believed were some areas of opportunity for that local entrepreneurial ecosystem, but really I also saw them as areas of opportunity for the greater region- and to some degree, maybe for entrepreneurial ecosystems beyond that:

Defining entrepreneurship differently, more inclusively.

I never wanted to have my own business- and being a founder twice was definitely never on my bingo card. In fact the word “entrepreneur” was intimidating to me. Most of what I was conditioned to believe about the mark of a really good entrepreneurial venture was that it was usually high-tech, highly scalable, and thus, highly successful. The lingo, the verbiage, the unicorn stories were all very nice and good, but off the bat, I knew my work didn't fully resonate with them nor did I see myself in them.

I was a dreamer, someone who had a vision for what I wanted to see in the world and in my community enough to build and create toward it- and that required risk, creating something different, befriending uncertainty, and trusting what was on my inside when the outside couldn’t conceive of it. For me, having a business was just a vehicle to have that impact, rather than a final destination or desired goal in itself. It made me wonder, what would happen if we tried to lower the psychological barrier to entry, even with the language we use and the archetypes of entrepreneurs we create? Everyone isn’t going to be an entrepreneur, but I believe people should be able to know it’s an option- and that even if that’s not your path, you can carry forth that kind of spirit in life.

Embracing the “creative entrepreneur”.

Speaking of Hampton Roads, whether you’re connected with me as someone who lives/has lived here or if this is the first time you’re hearing of us, I’ll tell you one of my favorite things about it is we have a community FULL of creative people and creative energy, and in that- existing and potential creative entrepreneurs. What I love about these folks is they want to create value by what they put out into the world with their unique hands, hearts and minds- and to inspire value that goes beyond them, but also know they should be able to realize value that reflects that in return. They seek to find a way to not just marry their artistic talents and business, but to build from that creative core in creative ways. As someone who has said for many years that my greatest goal in life is to “make a life and living being myself”, they energize me every single day. Now, let’s face it- maybe someone has the passion and creative skill, but they need support in translating that into business models, processes, value propositions, founder narratives, market validation, funding…

That’s an opportunity for entrepreneurial resource centers and other ecosystem nodes to seek out and embrace them with intention in ways we have never done before to bring in fresh imagination to problem-solving and unanswered opportunities for results we have never seen before, especially in a place rich with potential like Hampton Roads. Because often times, the work of the creative entrepreneur in this community is rooted and seeks to benefit the community itself because they too believe in and want better for it.

[Quick Side Note]: Hear me on this- The communities who learn how to acknowledge and invest in their talent, their people on home turf, will have an extraordinary leg up on the future. Support your local builders, innovators and creators- the backbone and givers of soul to your place. Make sure they are a part of your municipal and street-level/grassroots community + economic development strategies- because whether you know it and embrace it or not, there is an ROI on doing so (or in a lack thereof). Things like quality of life, culture, sense of place, business and talent retention/attraction, tourism, enhanced community identity, and having vision + direction for the future- all fuel economic returns in addition to social ones. And investing in people who are already investing in home with their time, talent, and vision multiplies and may even exponential-ize that. When you truly understand this, not supporting them becomes a non-option.

Reimagining how we can support entrepreneurs; Nourishing the soul.

If you search for “entrepreneurial ecosystem maps”, you’ll find several versions and interpretations of who and what make up these ecosystems and the functions that need to exist in order for them to thrive. Even with all the necessary resources, programs and supports for different stages of the journey, you might still find a gap. Entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs, anguish and inspiration, possibility and pain. It is crazy and unpredictable and beautiful and can be testing of the very foundations of you as a human being. The soul goes on a wild ride with that one, so how do we care for it? How do we tend to the person, beyond just giving them technical assistance or “tools for success”?

Something that sits heavily with me is trying to find ways to create more community among entrepreneurs- spaces for entrepreneurs to learn from one another while in the process and share in this experience you have to have lived to truly understand. Talking about the real, honest and raw realities of such a complex path. The weight on the soul comes in part because entrepreneurship is often a siloed sport, but maybe it can be less lonely playing in the orbit of others. Maybe it can give someone the courage to take on that wave once more.

Give them a chance to build up on the inside and alongside others so they can continue on what actually becomes an entrepreneurial life that transcends any one venture, story, or success but into a way of being and operating in the world.

All of this to say, I want to see an Entrepreneurship that is more accessible, more creative, more human- and an ecosystem that fosters and celebrates that. I, for one, am looking forward to playing a role in that in whatever ways that manifests.

And to my entrepreneurs/entrepreneurial friends around the world and in my community (some of whom I have pictured in this post's cover photo :) : Thank you for believing in yourself and in something enough to go after it and/or create it. You are builders of the future and hope for the present.