Entrepreneurs In Hiding

A friend of mine mentioned he didn’t know he was entrepreneurial until later in life.

It made me think about how I knew I was entrepreneurial most of my life.

Most because I took a break from enterprising.

A little less than 20 years ago I took a job, for “the hours” and “hey, health insurance!” I climbed some (small) ladders, hung out in corporate America for a while, and settled into a role where they told me, “in this job, you get to basically run your own business.”

They were lying, but that’s what you get in the corporate a-hole.* I knew it but chose not to know it because my compensation depended on it.

Basically forgetting I was entrepreneurial.

But then I remembered. Like a racoon finding the trash. You can put a lid on it, but in the middle of the night…

I tend to work well with others who A. don’t work well for others, and B. understand what it means to work with others who don’t want to work for others.

It’s a specific mentality type. Motley crews. Underground scenesters. Hangry artists.**

Take this as a reminder, whichever path you’re on: some people don’t figure out they’re entrepreneurs until later in life. Others figure it out early, and then forget for a while and come back.

Nobody’s path is the same.

You just have to figure out what works for you.

Even if it’s not doing your own thing (because that’s cool too).

*I am so trademarking being stuck in Corporate America as being stuck in the corporate a-hole.

**this one too. Artists who aren’t starving, but they’re hangry and just need to bite into the next thing.