VEDAT GÜVEN
VEDAT GÜVEN
What does being an Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Warrior mean? Let me tell you this upfront; effort, labor, pain, tears, loneliness, patience, working, working and working very hard! Searching, searching and finding! “The “Pyramid of civilization* did not result from one country, tribe, or even an age alone. Each stage of it rises by putting one stone on another and blood, lives and labor of the entire humanity, and its history is like a story of never-ending struggle and contributions of the generational creation called man over the ages…” (1) Is this how you would describe it? Do you really want to be useful to humanity? Do you want to be a remedy for troubles suffered by your community and save them from their irrational practices? Do you observe your environment, and sacrifice your sleep and comforts to create remedies for every wrong you see? To put in the clearest way, do you have a “fire burning inside”? Are you passionate? Or are you pursuing ephemeral fancies? This is the legacy of our ancestors; “all men are entrepreneurs. We had our own work when we were living in caves…Find food and satisfy our hunger. This is how the history of men began…As the civilization developed, we began to suppress it. Since they were labeled as “workers”, we began to see ourselves as “workers” and ended up being one. In fact, we forgot that we had been entrepreneurs.” (2) What do you think? Are you strong enough to change this fate? Do you how strong you are and what you can accomplish? Have you ever tested your strength? Do you know to where you will be driven away in the face of surprises of life and if you will fall? Will you be able to get up after you fall? Can you go on as if nothing happened? Are you a warrior courageous enough to go on this path even when the closest people leave you alone and unyielding enough to try again? Ca you really venture this? “…I remember it very well; one day, a stork had two babies. After a while, it held one of them and threw it to the roof with its beak. That’s how they do it. They throw away the weak one. Because they can afford to take care of only one. (3) as Charles Darwin said, “it is not the strongest of species that survives, but the most adaptable.” When things go haywire, will you leave your friends you walk together to their fate or will you be prudent and continue to walk with them? Do you have skills to keep your friends who lost their faith together? Whereas, “great leaders like to give their employees opportunities, provide them trainings, discipline them when necessary, increase their confidence and give them a chance to try and fail. They want these so that they can accomplish more than we can dream for ourselves. The General Manager of a company called Next Jump in New York City, Charlie Kim establishes as follows: “Would you consider giving up one of your children because you are having a hard time in your family?” We would never do that. Then, why do we consider laying off people in our organization? Charlie applied a policy called lifetime employment. If you are employed by Next Jump, you will not be laid off due to performance issues. On the contrary, if you have a problem, they will support you by coaching you. Just like how we treat a child coming home after getting a C at school.” (4) Are you curious and question the past, present and future out of your passion for learning to satisfy your curiosity? Do you have competitors in the business you are thinking of venturing, if yes, what have they accomplished?, how will you create a difference?, what equipment do you have and do you possess the skills to use them in most efficient way? Are your human relations strong enough? Are you loved and respected? Do you listen to people and treat them kindly? What do you do to improve yourself? You must need this and change yourself. Are you happy? What you have known so far has brought you to this point and you are miserable now. You must learn what you don’t know and do what you know very well. If you are interested in all these and want to start the business of your dreams, and run it as a MVP within seven days, live a unique learning experience, look around with a different eye, you will find the answers to all these problems and find the happiness you deserve in this program. Remember: It is you who is the entrepreneur; your business is just a result. You must manage it like a maestro. You must prevent pressing a wrong note and “ensure harmony”. Money? All who do their job well will make money. Come on! My project: Me! I did not choose to withdraw to a corner and settle down in a coastal town. I wanted to fight so that I could remain alive. I learned the answers to questions that are more than the above. In a very short time, I was out in the field, on the streets. My web page is ready. It will be on as soon as I finish the meetings with my potential customers. I will share the results. 1- Şevket Süreyya Aydemir, The Man in Quest for Water p. 285, Remzi Bookstore, 9th Edition, 1995 2- Muhammad Yunus- Tom Peters, Small, Yet Important Things, Boyner Publications 4th Edition 3- Ishak Alaton, Useful Man, p. 91, Alfa Publications 8th Edition, March 2013 4- TED Speaker, Simon Sinek: “Why good leaders make you feel safe” from the speech dated March 2014 *Pyramid: The tombs of Egyptian pharaohs in the form of pyramids. TDK Turkish Dictionary