The Entrepreneurial Spirit

I was a little inspired by the interview conducted by the "Kabuhayang Swak na Swak" TV show sometime this week with the Sterling Paper CEO, Mr. Henry Lim Bon Liong. He mentioned sometime in the interview that in his opinion, if there is 50% to 60% chance that a business venture might succeed then he would say, "take it". I am very impressed with his Entrepreneurial spirit.

What Is The Entrepreneurial Spirit?

I would define the entrepreneurial spirit as the capability to take on any entrepreneurial challenge no matter what the outcome is. The entrepreneurial spirit can be seen in people who choose to go up despite economic ups and downs in business. It is present in both heart and mind of a person who chooses to venture into the world of the unknown. It focuses on the gains, but also takes note of the possible consequences.

During the last few months I've taken on different small businesses or in Filipino, what they would call a "raket". Yes, this are not true businesses but rather part-time jobs but the learning, experiences and pain when you make a mistake can somehow be the same when you take on the real and larger thing. The real challenge here is how do you keep doing what you started? Or in most cases, how do you make the first step?

These two are probably the hardest things to make when starting up a business, to make the first step and keep doing what you started when a lot of distractions start to come in and try to dishearten you. But a true entrepreneur will persevere because he knows that at the end of the road is a reward waiting. Yes, a business is made to make money but the reward isn't always monetary, it can come in other forms as well.

Sometimes in life... It is more important to take note of what we have overcome than what we have achieved.