Entrepreneurship: a leap or a step?

By Ozzy Lang

In today's society "Entrepreneur" is a highly valued title. This idea of taking risks and being a visionary. From an outside perspective, it looks hard to become an entrepreneur. An incredible individual who has the courage to dream, create and change the world. It almost seems as though these individuals are born taking risks and creating businesses from a young age. It also seems that if entrepreneurs are not born with it, they are exposed to it in the early years of their lives. Or maybe it's that we all have the capability to become an entrepreneur, it just takes a step.

Over the past year I have taken this journey to becoming an entrepreneur. I have come to believe that it is less of a leap and more of a step. Sure, I now take risks on a daily basis. I challenge myself to think of ways to push not only myself, but also my company forward. But this is not much of a leap. Rather, it is pushing towards something and taking actions on several issues without the fear and pressure of this title, Entrepreneur. Every day individuals take steps to bettering their future. They take risks and dream of what their life could be. I believe it is human nature to push yourself to become more. This idea of moving forward is constant in everyday life.

So why is the transition to becoming an entrepreneur perceived as such a leap? Could it be that pushing ourselves to be educated or creating impact on the world is limited to the idea of getting a job? Do we push everyday to make ourselves more employable, resulting in entrepreneurship becoming a more difficult task?

This could be the answer, but I have come to learn, it is simply a step. A mindset that must be changed. By exposing ourselves to the startup community, this mindset can be shifted, creating a spark that makes startup life seem more attainable. It is this shift that has lead to my current position.

Although this is how my entrepreneurial spirit was sparked, I believe it could happen to anyone in many different ways. It is the steps that follow this spark that are vital. My opportunity to grow was while in post secondary, however, if you are looking for this spark, I do not believe this is not the only place to grow. There are organizations and programs that support and push this idea and spark forward creating true success.

I believe that everyone has the ability to become an entrepreneur to make his or her passion into a job. It is not a leap but a simple step, and as more individuals are exposed to entrepreneurship, society as a whole will benefit. I believe that we can change this barrier to the public by sharing our stories and exposing all of those around us to the opportunities that are possible in today's world.