Posted on July 15, 2008 - by Jeffrey
Don’t call yourself an Entrepreneur!
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The term “Entrepreneur” is thrown around way to easily these days. Everyone and their mother is an “Entrepreneur” and everyone knows someone that tried what you’re doing and it didn’t work. It all starts with you opening your mouth.
Stop Talking About It
If you plan on doing something business wise, then I advise you to keep it to yourself until you have made some preliminary plans; at least! People have an unfortunate habit of trying to kill your dreams, sometimes these people can consist of family members. In these situations you need to seek out advice from people who already doing what you are doing. Someone you would like to emulate, in a business sense.
Ask them if it’s possible? If they are an honest person, you’ll get an entirely different answer.
So if you shouldn’t call yourself an “Entrepreneur”, then what do you tell people that you do when you are starting a business. We’ll there is a time and a place to tell people you are an “Entrepreneur”, it’s when you are already making money. Sounds weird I know, but it holds much more weight when you have already made a buck or two. I would suggest calling yourself a business man or woman in the beginning.
Play the Role
You have to be an actor in business and play the role, even though you may not be the high roller. Acting and Selling are huge parts of starting your own business and are vital pieces to any “Entrepreneur”. If you don’t posses these qualities and/or aren’t working with someone who does, you may hit some tough times. You must learn to develop these parts of your personality and become the dream. I mean, how can you sell the dream if you aren’t living it?
These skills will show their greatest value when you are at corporate events or are in meetings, these are the places you can shine. You would be surprised how some funny comments and a good night on the town with some potential clients win their rapport and eventually the deal..
So by playing the role in all aspects you will be able to give the “Entrepreneur” illusion without saying it. You know if you are doing this right when people start calling you an “Entrepreneur” in passing, without your encouragement of course ![]()

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July 15, 2008
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Jeff, found this post via Twitter and will give it a plug via my http://twitter.com/gaeblerdotcom.
I completely agree that you should not call yourself an entrepreneur until after you are well established in your business or have done a few startups. It’s usually something that other people call you anyway.
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Jeffrey Reply:
September 8th, 2008 at 2:56 am
Thanks, I appreciate your thoughts and the twitter link!
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July 15, 2008
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“People have an unfortunate habit of trying to kill your dreams, sometimes these people can consist of family members.”
I agree with this 100% I can’t count the number of times I was asked when I was going to get a “Real Job” or settle down.
On a side not I don’t think I would call myself an Entrepreneur until I was a serial Entrepreneur…
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Jeffrey Reply:
September 8th, 2008 at 2:56 am
It’s that rebel mentality
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