The Benefits of Working for an Established AND Entrepreneurial Company
Webster’s defines an entrepreneur as a person who organizes and manages any enterprise – especially a business – usually with considerable initiative and risk.
Many conventional companies tout an “entrepreneurial culture” hoping to evoke a sense of workplace fun and freedom. But be careful. Often, their somewhat progressive thinking is limited to one or two departments, like marketing or R&D. This is a start, but it disregards diversity. After all, shouldn’t businesses hire talent and intellect for more than just these few departments? A truly entrepreneurial company knows that inspiration can come from an accountant, a delivery driver or the head of human resources.In an entrepreneurial start-up, employees must be comfortable with ambiguity while simultaneously being imaginative on the fly, tracking monthly profits (or losses) and ordering the sandwiches for the lunch meeting. While this certainly sounds exciting for the thrill seeker, and can lead to a high degree of personal ownership in the company, what can people do who want to spread their innovative wings without riding the roller coaster every minute of every day?
Traditional companies are also mired down in a lot of routine, process and bureaucracy. While some of this is necessary for the business to survive, too much will get in the way. Days filled with checklists, review committees, chains of command and marathon meetings create a climate of corporate micromanagement. They hinder creativity and independence, elements necessary for entrepreneurial performance. And when people feel stifled they are less likely to perform at all, let alone feel comfortable enough to find their inner big ideas.
But there is good news for career seekers! There are established businesses that foster an environment of creative collaboration and helpful structure; and you don’t have to leave the country or even move to Silicon Valley to find them. They are in every type of industry from agriculture to plumbing to technology…and in between. These companies encourage empowerment. They embrace people’s differences and understand that supporting varied perspectives leads to profitability. They offer employees the advantages of an entrepreneurial start-up – autonomy, mission, purpose, adaptability – within a proven framework of support that helps to absorb some of the risk. So you, as the employee, get the benefit of wrapping a security blanket around an extraordinary opportunity to define your future. And, in companies like these, you can gain the highest level of career fulfillment because you know there are contingencies for reasonable failure while, on the flipside, your passion and ambition directly impact your success.
Click here for the Top 10 Demands of Successful Entrepreneurs from GALLUP Business JournalTM.