You can start a business without money, experience and skills;
but not without Passion. Unless you’re a Wannapreneur.
We all know the wannabe types. But when these wannabes set their eyes on entrepreneurship, they’re called Wannapreneur! The term Wannapreneur has been coined for those who just “want” to be entrepreneurs. It’s a term that has been doing the rounds at a lot of national and international forums too. And most of us have at least one person around us who fits the bill. Well, there’s nothing wrong in “wanting” to be an entrepreneur. We all have dreams, goals and a bucket list. And entrepreneurship can certainly be a part of a smart chap’s bucket list. But Wannapreneurs are different. These individuals have got traits that reflect their “all-fart-and-no-shit” attitude.
But how do we differentiate entrepreneurs from Wannapreneurs? How do we differentiate the lazy ones from the ones who truly want to make a difference? It’s not difficult to identify the ones with the right intent, a basic plan that’s written down, and some genuine effort that can place them in the entrepreneur-in-the-making bracket. But identifying Wannapreneurs is not as simple as that. Ironically, sometimes even these Wannapreneurs don’t know that they are the stars of this category. Here’s how you can get a clue about them though:
If your business ideas begin and end in a bar always, you’re a Wannapreneur!
Some of the biggest business deals happen over a drink. You might then ask what is so wrong with bars? Well, there’s nothing wrong with clinging drinks to celebrate entrepreneurship, victory or deals. But when some sloshed individuals carry out these discussions in bars, and that’s where the discussion ends as well, you know it’s a Wannapreneur in the making.
You have been waiting for the right time since… forever.
One of the key differences between an entrepreneur and a Wannapreneur is his timing. An entrepreneur does wait for the right time. But when there’s a need he takes the plunge and works hard to change his time and fortune. A Wannapreneur, on the other hand, waits for the perfect time. But as per him, the time has never been perfect for him to take the leap. So, he keeps waiting… forever.
You have no clue about the kind of failure startups witness.
They say that reading stories about successful entrepreneurs is a great source of inspiration. And wanna-preneurs do that too. But it’s only because “they say”. These stories excite them. But the difference is that an entrepreneur in the making will also look for stories on failure. He knows that most startups end up failing. And it’s okay to read about them and learn from them. Wannapreneurs, however, wear blinders and stay away from these stories.
You think money is all that you need to start and run a business.
Every startup needs money to survive. Every company needs money to grow. However, money is not the only thing that defines the success of an entrepreneur or his company. There’s more to it. Wanna-preneurs think that the only thing they lack is the money. And if they had enough money, they could have easily launched their “blurred ideas” and become industry leaders. Well, if money were the only thing required to run a successful business, big brands and entrepreneurs would have never failed. We all know that some of the biggest companies fail even today. But Wannapreneurs are miles away from this reality.
You are excited to use the “entrepreneur” tag on Social profiles.
An entrepreneur is a lot more than just a tag. It is terribly difficult to lead the life of an entrepreneur. It could sound cool to be one. But that can never be a reason for you to take the plunge. Social profiles don’t define entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs define social profiles. A successful entrepreneur may not necessarily be a hero in the virtual world. But he knows his shit… especially in the real world.
You feel most of the renowned entrepreneurs are plainly luck.
Luck does exist. We have heard entrepreneurs being lucky. We’ve hears how they were at the right place, at the right time. And that is sheer luck. We also read success stories of entrepreneurs who got lucky. But we don’t try to focus on how the said successful entrepreneurs would have slogged their ass off for years before they got “lucky”. Luck is a part of the game; it’s not THE GAME.
Your business idea is all about the grudge you hold against your ex-boss.
Ex-bosses are like ex-girlfriends; we rarely like them. And most relationships, personal or official, don’t conclude amicably. Some of us end up holding grudges against our ex-bosses. And if that’s going to be our only driving factor, then there will never be a beginning. And even if there is one, it will rarely lead to anything fruitful. And that’s because to focus on a grudge, you have to take your eyes off your goals!
So, now you know how to spot the wannabe entrepreneur in you, or around you. Well, these are just some of the many traits of a Wannapreneur. If you’ve got some interesting/funny ones to share, please comment below.
About The Author:
Rajive Dhavan is a serial entrepreneur, and the author of the book STFU – Start The F Up, for present & future leaders of startups. He’s got a collective work experience of over 10 years. Having launched his first startup at the age of 22, today he heads three successful companies – What’s In a Name Creatives, Namesake Productions & Just Flaunt Salon. He launched his first startup with an investment of Rs. 40,000 and (Read More…)
