Action Trumps Everything

School teaches 'predictability,' school teaches us that for every cause there is an effect.

If we are to raise up entrepreneurs in South Africa then we need to acknowledge that schools, in their currnet construct, are not very suited to supporting the growth and development of entrepreneurs.  I recently had the privilege of listening to Professor Len Schlesinger, President of Babson College at Harvard, speak on the topic of entrepreneurship.

What was very interesting is that there needs to be the unacceptability of 'here.' Entrepreneurs are unhappy with poverty, the lack of food, unemployment and the injustice we see in the world around us.  The entrepreneur believes in a future but will need to create it first.  The entrepreneur is adept at reducing risk, he/she starts without a clear vision, the new business created is not original and the entrepreneur demonstrates 'CREACTION' - Creative Orientated Action.

The steps that the entrepreneur will need to move through:

1. Know what you want
2. Start with what you have
3. Build from present reality
4. What is the next step within your means
5. Enroll other people with you

What I learnt from Prof. Len Schlesinger was that the entrepreneur becomes an entrepreneur by starting with something they care about. What do we care about, what do we want to do next?