Defining the Entrepreneur

 

The problem with “entrepreneurship” is that it’s too loosely defined. A lot of people have no idea what the term really means, and almost anyone you ask will come up with their own definition. But more importantly, what are the roles every entrepreneur must fill? What are the personality types they must embody in order to successfully run a business?

I’ve read a few books about entrepreneurship now, and there is only one framework that stuck to my mind when it comes to defining the job of the entrepreneur. Namely, the one I read in “The E-Myth Revisited.”

In the book, the entrepreneur is described as someone who needs to assume three roles to properly run a business. The roles are:

1. The Technician: This is the coder, writer, or musician. This is the person who is working on a craft.
2. The Manager: This is the organizer, the person responsible for making future plans and making sure that the deadlines are being met.
3. The Entrepreneur: This is the visionary, the thinker, the motivator – the person leading the business forward with his personality and wisdom.

The way I like to think of it, is that the framework used is really just a set of sub-personalities. And while every entrepreneur must have them, they don’t exist in equal proportion across all entrepreneurs. Every individual has a distinct psychological profile – which will determine the degree to which the components of the entrepreneur will be embodied.

Why This Matters

The reason this classification is important is because it informs any entrepreneur starting out of the roles they need to fill to properly run a business. Usually, a baker, writer, or musician want to start a business of their own. But they don’t really understand what that entails. Many are under the impression that starting a business that is based off of your hobby simply means adding more hours to your hobby. In that way, a part-time job becomes a full-time job, and problem solved. Unfortunately, it’s a lot more complicated.

The reality is if any of the functions of a project are not attended to, the project will fail. The only way to get away with running a business without filling those roles yourself is to hire someone who can.

The point of the framework, then, is to help prospective entrepreneurs understand what’s required to run a business properly. And I think that’s a great preventative measure. Many entrepreneurs experience feelings of regret and disappointment when they start a business and realize that it was never the job description they signed up for. At least knowing what’s required beforehand helps them adjust their expectations and more pragmatically plan their next move.

A New Framework

I thought about this framework, and something seemed to be missing for me. Two of the terms aren’t well defined enough.Think of the entrepreneur. What is the job of the entrepreneur? What does he do? Well, a lot of things. And, it depends on the entrepreneur. Some are more focused on creating a breakthrough product, others are dedicated to a craft, and many are interested in forming a powerful web of contacts. Some entrepreneurs are introverted, others are extroverted? Are they the thinking types, or do they prefer to spend their time networking, and rallying the troops on. Therefore, using the term entrepreneur to describe a function is counterproductive.

And now, think of the technician. Who is the technician? Is he the artist? The inspired demon working day and night on his craft? Or is he the intern being paid to follow detailed instructions, and make sure that than an adequate amount of housekeeping is involved so that things never unravel. Is the technician thinking about changing the world, or he is trying to figure out how to get as many boring tasks out of the way.

For the sake of specificity and clarity, I believe the terms “entrepreneur” and “technician” should be replaced. The new framework should consist of the following five functions.

1. The Artist

This is the creator. The person who spends his time blocking out large chunks of time to specifically focus on his craft. He is the egoistic, selfish, prideful, genius that wants the world to behold the products of his genius. He is the person who has a keen eye for aesthetic detail, not just in the craft itself, but in all aspects of the business.

2. The Intern

This is the hustler. The person who is humble enough to take orders, follow the manager’s rules, and get things done. They will do the boring, mundane, soul crushing things that’s required to keep the business moving smoothly and in an orderly fashion. They will handle data entries, they’ll make sure everything is stored in its proper place, and the established routines set forward are followed to the dot.

3. The Philosopher

This is the thinker They will think about the why of the business. Senek has a good TED talk about this here. The philosopher will understand why this particular business is worth pursuing, and not any of the infinite number of options. They will ask questions every day, making sure they’re moving in the right direction. They are not interested in time management. They are concerned with making the best use of one’s time. They will fight for their ideals, and they question their own intentions. They will doubt their own abilities. But they are also responsible for lifting themselves up by reminding themselves that no alternative path is better. That all paths are simply different, and that this path is most meaningful and thus should be taken. And that the suffering is worth it.

4. The Politician

This is the people person. They will find allies for their project. They will learn from their enemies. They will smooth out the personal relationships in their lives to make sure that no one negatively interferes with their work. They are involved in multiple acts of deception and misdirection. They are constantly looking for better deals. They are salesmen and the diplomat. They are responsible for sustaining the growth of the company in spite of its performance. They use language to cajole and persuade and are not ardent believers in truth and values. They often have disagreements with the philosopher, but both begrudgingly admit that they need each other. They are also the leaders who rile the team up with effective catchphrases that are often clichés.

5. The Manager

They are the defenders. They make sure crucial details aren’t being overlooked. They hate wasting time and will make sure that an appropriate number of hours are being clocked in every day. They design elaborate schedules. They have both long term and short-term plans, and they make sure no one slows progress down. They are addicted to pace. They will implement any tool as long as its purpose is to make things move faster. They love routine and predictability and are often frustrated with The Artist and The Philosopher. The manager has more tolerance for The Politician’s sense of pragmatism, but is still critical of The Politician’s propensity to waste time and jeopardize forward progress.

Self-Awareness

Instead of having the entrepreneur, we have the philosopher and the politician. Instead of having the technician, we have the artist and the intern. I believe that every business needs to have all five parts. Now, I believe that this depends to a great degree on the business itself. If you were an author who wanted to publish a book, the artist’s role is the most vital. But if you’re starting a marketing agency, the politician’s role is the most important.Every business, whether comprising of a single individual, or a team of twenty needs a combination of these personalities. That’s what makes being a Sole proprietor very challenging. To voluntarily try to handle everything is risky, time consuming, and extremely difficult. However, if the individual can choose the right type (simple, straightforward) business, then they can make their lives a lot easier.

The other thing is to be very weary of joining forces with people who are exactly like you. It’s not a good idea for give artists to start a company. It’s an even worse idea for five managers to start a company together.

It’s also important to recognize that these personalities are in battle with each other. The end result might be a well-oiled money producing machine, but what’s actually going on is a never-ending struggle. Every sub-personality wants to feel like it’s the most important, and so it’s important to develop an awareness for the warring forces within you, and to skillfully mediate between them when necessary.