Think of a few things you learnt as a child. Whether at school, or at play or at home, anything that you still remember and that has had a lasting impact on you. It is most likely all your learning has come from curiosity. It could have been fun, tiring or painful even, but in any case it was most probably your curiosity that led you to try, experience and go through the process to learn and imbibe it. No other factor, be it fear, peer-pressure or for that matter, great rewards, excites us enough to learn. This zeal to learn breaks all our boundaries and the need for validation. We no longer strive to achieve anything to be rewarded or escape consequences, but for the sheer joy of learning and as a result, remarkable things happen.
Whether a discovery was made, a revolution was started or a great business was built, it was because someone was curious and excited or as we say, enterprising enough to embark upon a journey of possibilities. Fortunately, it’s an ingrained human trait. Unfortunately, most of our institutions are designed to curb that trait if not destroy it.
Let’s for example take the B-Schools. How many students are actually ready to start a business once they are out of college? According to sources published on statista.com, only about 50% of MBA graduates are employable. No data is given on how many are business ready. If I had to assess, it would be anywhere between 1-5%. So, if a B-School’s job is only to make you job-ready, and even that is not done right, where does one learn to become an entrepreneur?
It’s where you learnt some of the most exciting lessons – curiosity. A lot of fancy terms associated with being an entrepreneur such as, risk-taking ability, innovativeness, emotional quotient, passion, critical thinking and so on, are the products of curiosity. No entrepreneur pre-learns these skills before starting a business nor can it be taught by anyone. It only begins with your business. The more time you spend inquisitively in your business, the more skills you pick-up of being an entrepreneur.
Simply put, to learn to become an entrepreneur, start your own business. Failures may be plenty, but rewards are always bigger.
That being said, many of us may be fearful of starting a business, especially so if it’s our first time. After all, it is overwhelming to jump into a swimming pool without knowing how to swim! So, if you want to start your own business but need support, get yourself a swimming tube. Here are a few options:
1. Join A Family Business:
Nobody would have better intentions for you than your parents and nor will you find anyone more willing to go through some of the tough lessons in your business journey with you. If you are from a business family, I would strongly recommend joining your family business (start from the bottom of the pyramid, you’ll build a strong foundation) rather than opting for a business degree. It may be restrictive at times, but nothing close to how narrow b-schools can be.
2. Become A Greenmor Franchisee:
They say if you can ace selling, you can start any business. Greenmor provides ready-to-start e-commerce businesses for those who are inexperienced in online business setups. As a Greenmor Franchisee you start your entrepreneurial journey without worrying about technicalities, investment or management. Our ecosystem frees you to focus on marketing and making a name for yourself. For details, schedule a call with us.
3. Partner With Friends:
It’s fun to have friends with benefits, business benefits that is. If you’ve got a few friends who have inclination or experience in different aspects of business, you sure can come together to start a business. Partnerships help mitigate the risks, and friends make it fun.
4. Hire A Mentor:
If you’re looking only for guidance as and when you need and not partnerships, getting yourself a mentor is a good option. With his/her experience you may be able to overcome the challenges in your business and still have a free-hand to navigate as per your choice and understanding.
Caveat: This blog is not about how bad or good business schools are, it is about entrepreneurship and the skill set required for it. A business degree alone may not help you to navigate your path to a successful business. If you already have a business degree, get into a business of your choice at the earliest to reach your best potential.
Best,
Niyati Sethia
Co-Founder, Greenmor
