Last week, in the spirit of International Women’s Day, I joined a group in Nelson, B.C. to celebrate female entrepreneurs. There is a certain energy that comes from being amongst a group such as this. The women in the room were a mix of ages and stages and represented everything from baker to film maker, shop owner to product developer. Sitting with a friend I made years ago who has a similar business to me offering consulting services focused around stakeholder engagement, and meeting facilitation, I asked her if she felt like an entrepreneur? We agreed that while our businesses are small, we definitely live the life of entrepreneurs.
So what is it to be an entrepreneur? I was reminded of the bold characteristics at a business event last fall in London, to celebrate a friend who was winning an award. This group of entrepreneurs comprised of people from construction, accounting, law, writing, and more. The commonality in the room is that we were all risk takers. As an entrepreneur, there is no 9-5, vacation pay, pension, or certainty for what comes next. Rather, we are people who create, develop and generate wealth in our communities. We provide work for others and deliver services that are needed. There is ‘no end to the day’ as you are your own boss and there is always more to do. Not everyone is able to live in this state of uncertainty, in fact only one in twenty people choose this path. However, if you can handle the unknowns and have confidence (or faith) that you can do it, there is nothing better.
From London to Nelson, I feel inspired to share spaces with this tribe of people. These adaptable and resilient people seek opportunity, create opportunity and turn ideas into realities. Staying connected and meeting new people through these events, reminds me that being a changemaker is not easy however it is my tribe and I wouldn’t wish it any other way.
