The Color of Entrepreneurs

“There’s lots of bad reasons to start a company.

But there’s only one good, legitimate reason,

and I think you know what it is:

it’s to change the world.” 

(Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote)

I have, for the bulk of my working years, been an employee rather than an employer. I began serving the world and earning money in elementary school when I would help my next-door-neighbor with his paper route when he was away. At 15 I began work at Macleods Hardware, followed by a summer in the Junior Forest Ranger program, then on to grocery deliveries at Lindhal's grocery. Life after high school introduced me to a long line of people and companies willing to take me under their employ.

Through all of those jobs and employers I do not recall stopping to consider the perspective of the people taking the risks as entrepreneurs. And there are huge risks. As employees our mission is simple - do the tasks assigned, change the world, get paid, go home. If the position comes with benefits such as health and dental or pension then we enjoy those perks without consideration of the cost to the company employing us. The owner of a business, however, does not have the luxury of such simplicity. 

In addition to ensuring that they make a living for their own household, employers have the responsibility of providing income for each of their employees. While wage-earners may find their work day book-ended with specific start and end times, owners work as many hours as are needed to make the business function. The responsibility that comes with taking on an employee can weigh heavy on an business man or woman.

“Inviting someone to work for pay

is a sacred privilege and a trust.

It must be regarded a high honor

to be able to give another person work,

and neither employer nor employee

should abuse this relationship” 

(Judy Frankel)

While I do not suggest that all business owners and corporations are just in their relationships to those they employ, as a whole they provide the backbone for our economy. Most of us have neither the skills nor the interest in being owners. We are content to receive our wages and have our evenings and weekends free for other things. We end our work days blissfully unaware that our employers may be working late into the evening and through the weekend to ensure that we have jobs to go to in the morning.

“The secret to successful hiring is this:

look for the people who want to change the world.” 

(Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce)

Entrepreneurs have the potential to make positive change in our world by creating opportunities for employees to use their gifts in a meaningful way. The many jobs in which I've been employed over the years have opened doors to meet people, encourage them, and in some way, great or small, make their lives a little bit better. If not for a willing employer those opportunities would never have arisen.

I am deeply grateful for all of business owners in my city. These women and men weave their employees and clients into the fabric that is our community. They take huge risks to do their work, they put in long hours, and sometimes at the end of the month, especially in hard economic times, they have little to show for it. Still, they mentor us, give us hope, and month by month by month... they provide our paycheck. This is Love in action, Love flowing through us, through employers, through communities.

Give thanks today for the entrepreneurial spirit that guides the employers in your life. 

I leave the last word to Ziad Abkelnour:

“Job tip:

If you were the employer,

what kind of person

would you most desire as an employee?

Be that person.” 

(Ziad K. Abdelnour, Economic Warfare: Secrets of Wealth Creation in the Age of Welfare Politics)

The color of entrepreneurs...

workforce parents.

We danced

together

you and

I

the music

of

economy

guiding our feet

and together

we

thrived

Work

Laugh

Pray

For Further Reflection:
- From the Bible: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters..." (Colossians 3.23)

- From Sikhism: "One who claims to be a saint, and goes about begging - touch not his feet! He whose livelihood is earned through work, and part given away in charity - such a one, Nanak, truly knows the way to God. " ( Adi Granth, Var Sarang, M.1, p. 1245)

- From Hinduism: "Work is worship." (Virashaiva Proverb)