My Entrepreneurship Story (Week 2)

I never had that time-stopping, life-changing, "Aha!" moment, where all of a sudden something clicked and I realized I was an entrepreneur. "Entrepreneurship" wasn't even a word I had often heard or used until recently. But the more I think about it, the more I see that I have been exposed to entrepreneurship in so many ways, without ever realizing it. From growing up with a father who started and managed several of his own businesses, to entering the Innovation Academy (without really knowing what I was getting myself into), the concept of entrepreneurship has actually been very present in my life.

The concept of entrepreneurship was first illustrated to me through the "lifestyle" Web sites that have become increasingly popular over the past few years (my favorites are Preserve by Blake Lively, Womanista by Cassie Kelley, and The Vogue Trip by Haley Hubbard). However, when I had the chance to meet with recording artist Kelsea Ballerini a few months ago, along with several of her bandmates and tour production crew, that I began to see entrepreneurship in a new and surprising way. In talking with her about her rise to fame- from writing songs on her bedroom floor, to getting her first publishing deal, to getting media training and developing her "brand," to being signed to a record label and touring for the first time- I came to understand that a recording artist is perhaps the most obvious example of an entrepreneur. Musicians are their enterprise; they make their living through self-expression. Entrepreneurship can be as deceivingly simple as that.

It sounds cheesy, but I've always liked those "do what you love, love what you do" sayings, and I've come to realize that is essentially what entrepreneurship is all about. Much to my parents' confusion and frustration, I've always said that I don't want to just end up with a job; rather, I want what I do to be a natural extension of my lifestyle. I don't do things halfway, and as a result there's not much balance between my personal and professional life. For the sake of my sanity and general well-being, this means whatever work I do in the future needs to be for a cause I wholeheartedly believe in. I want to have adventures. I want to create beauty. I want to be inspired, and inspire others. And to me, that is what entrepreneurship is all about.

To be totally honest, I probably wouldn't have enrolled in this class if it wasn't mandatory for Innovation Academy students. I don't consider myself to be business-minded, and until recently I had never thought of myself as being an entrepreneur. However, through experiences and interactions with entrepreneurs, I have come to realize that. So, I have decided to view this class as an opportunity to explore and discover my place in the entrepreneurial world. This semester, I hope to learn more about what the concept of entrepreneurship means, as well as what it actually looks like when applied to one's life and career.