Wisconsin Technology Network News, 09.17.08
One thing that has struck me about the various economic development initiatives and support organizations in northeast Wisconsin is that they don't distinguish between small business entrepreneurship and high impact entrepreneurship. Before exploring the important differences between these two kinds of entrepreneurship, let me say that, as my younger children say, “this is a team, not a race.”
In suggesting we recognize that promoting a small business entrepreneurial climate is not the same
as promoting a high impact entrepreneurial climate, I am not proposing that one goal is better than the other. Both goals are important to the future prosperity of the New North, and each goal can be
promoted without undermining the other goal.
What is so different about small business entrepreneurship and high impact entrepreneurship?
Almost everything. Both kinds of entrepreneurs take risks, true, but on closer inspection they are vastly different kinds of risks, and those differences reflect vastly different perspectives and approaches to most of the fundamental aspects of starting, growing, and managing a business. Let's look at a few examples of those differences.
One thing that has struck me about the various economic development initiatives and support organizations in northeast Wisconsin is that they don't distinguish between small business entrepreneurship and high impact entrepreneurship. Before exploring the important differences between these two kinds of entrepreneurship, let me say that, as my younger children say, “this is a team, not a race.”
In suggesting we recognize that promoting a small business entrepreneurial climate is not the same
as promoting a high impact entrepreneurial climate, I am not proposing that one goal is better than the other. Both goals are important to the future prosperity of the New North, and each goal can be
promoted without undermining the other goal.
What is so different about small business entrepreneurship and high impact entrepreneurship?
Almost everything. Both kinds of entrepreneurs take risks, true, but on closer inspection they are vastly different kinds of risks, and those differences reflect vastly different perspectives and approaches to most of the fundamental aspects of starting, growing, and managing a business. Let's look at a few examples of those differences.