What's your definition of an entrepreneur?

[NikkiPilkington]

According to Wikipedia:

An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of an enterprise, or venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome. It is an ambitious leader who combines land, labor, and capital to create and market new goods or services.

According to The Free Dictionary:

A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.

And I think that maybe once, those definitions were 100% true.

However, more recently (and I use that to mean years not months), hasn't the term come to mean more?

I see people all over the place describe themselves as entrepreneurs (and entrepeneurs, entepreneurs, entreprenuers and more ), even serial entrepreneurs.

What do YOU think of when you see the term?

[simonelli]

Someone without a job, and often, a clue.

[Simply-Fone]

in 2009 - a figure of pity & destitute!

In today's society don't most parents (sadly) want their kids to grow up to be retired bankers at 50 with a £650,000 annual pension & a sc**w you attitude...

[Limeminds]

Definitely the buzz word/title of the moment. Programs like Dragon's Den, The Apprentice, Tycoon and all the other off-shoots have glamorized the term. Everyone wants the lifestyle that the TV shows promote, its a bit like being a rock star without the guitar!!

[simonelli]

I've met so many, with huge smiles and firm handshakes and overwhelmingly confident promises about the riches we are going to make together on some cartooning project or other for them only to disappear AFTER getting me to do some (sometimes a lot) samples for the 'project'!

[Ray Stewart]

I think it is a hugely overused term.

There is still a massive divide between a business person and an entrepreneur.

A business person sets up their own business and happily runs it for years, maybe employing some people on the way but never achieves serious wealth because of it. It is a means to provide for them and theirs a quality of life, freedom and enjoyment they could never get as an employee.

An entrepreneur though I feel is someone who has that special drive, not to build a business as above, but who wants to push constantly for fast growth with the aim of selling out in a few years time and pocketing a small fortune - then doing it again... and again.

Everyone who starts a business feels they are an entrepreneur, but actually very few break through into the true dragon's den/Alan Sugar/Richard Branson type class of business.

That's my anyway.

[phoneforbusiness]

"a bit like being a rock star without the guitar!!"

To echo SimplyFone, most rock stars were on the edge of destitution before making it big - There's a parallel, especially when 'Dragon' Peter Jones describes the phenomenon thus "Business is the new rock and roll"

Being prepared to fail and sell out in a big way (exit) are hallmarks of real entrepreneurs, who then start something else after that.

True entrepreneurs are very different to "people in business for themselves"

[trevorwood]

I think it's a mindset. I currently run 2 businesses and I've a third ready to roll out. I've plans for 2 more when the time is right. None of them are going to make Richard Branson rich, but between them I hope to be able to do some of the things I want to do - like investing in and helping other start up businesses. Does that make me an entrepreneur (thanks to the speil chucker in Firefox, I speilt this right )? I don't know - but some people are starting to talk about me as one.

[Paul Simister]

I agree with Ray and see entrepreneur as separate from small business owner.

A small business owner wants to have a prosperous business but wants it to stay small.

An entrepreneur wants to create something special, remarkable and has the ambition to ignite the spark for something that will become big.

A small business restaurant owner wants to create a very successful restaurant which develops a great reputation and may open a few more locally.

A restaurant entrepreneur wants to create an international chain and be seen as the place to eat "escargot and pomme frites". Think I'll give it a miss though.

[Pimlico]

I agree that Entrepreneur has it's own meaning, separate from business owner, however I don't see that it carries implications of success & wealth. To me the special characteristics are an appetite for risk, and an inclination to break the mould with innovative ideas.

A small business owner wants to have a prosperous business but wants it to stay small.

Would be an Entrepreneur if the business were Escargot & Chips or some other risky innovative idea.


A small business restaurant owner wants to create a very successful restaurant which develops a great reputation and may open a few more locally.

Is not an Entrepreneur.


A restaurant entrepreneur wants to create an international chain and be seen as the place to eat "escargot and pomme frites".

Is an Entrepreneur even if they are all failures.

[Paul Norman]

I am loving all these definitions. What an elusive term it has become! Maybe the advent of the celebrity entrepreneur has not entirely cleared up our thinking.

I think it is more than a business person, even a successful one. It is someone who starts something with a plan to go big. And succeeds.

However, there are thousands of competent business people out there starting small businesses that stay small. They are good business people, and it is a good thing they are there. The back bone of a big chunk of the economy! Not entrepreneurs any more than a highly competent musician is a rock star!

Dont focus on the entrepreneur or not bit. Focus on the competent bit. And if you want to go large - go for it. But do it competently! And if you want to stay small, good for you. Just do it competently!

[AaronPollock]

It has become more subjective than factual. In my mind it fits more with someone who succeeds more than they fail (but who has probably failed a few times). It's a compliment of sorts, and for that reason it's one of those terms, like "genius", which can only validly be used to describe someone else.

Or something.

[UKSEOagency]

to me, an entrepreneur is a person who starts business's, sometimes fails - but gets up brushes themselves of and goes at it again - but the one thing that seperates an entrepreneur from a fool - is entrepreneurs succeed more often than they fail!

[MikeChitty]

For me an entrepreneur is someone who is using enterprise (maybe a business but not always) to shape themselves and their life. It is about taking (bold) action to bring a different world into being. To make change and progress. Nothing to do with scale in my book.

[Simply-Fone]

Nikki asked for a Definition of an Entrepreneur

Most of the above are Definitions of a Successful Entrepreneur

Believe me - there are far more 'failed' entrepreneurs!

[SteveH]

It seems to not apply to sole traders such as myself, we make a comfortable living but have no 'next big thing' to amaze the public and get them to part with all their money. When I watch Dragons Den I often wonder where some of these people find the ideas and also believe that they can work! But is it all about making a fortune?

[Emma]

I'd say an entrepreneur is a 'business opportunist'.

[Ozzy]

My definition of an Entrepreneur.
Someone who has a passion and drive to succeed, to create wealth and opportunity for themselves and those around them. One who can lead from the front, take calculated risks without fear of the result. Who can motivate and drive those around them to follow through good and bad, to bring out the best in their people and to share in their successes and protect in the bad times.

An Entrepreneur is a good and loyal leader.

That's my 2c anyway