On Being an Entrepreneur

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

Being an entrepreneur is the most challenging, exciting, fun and amazing thing you can do with your life.

You are in complete control, you are totally responsible. And that’s where the mix of emotions comes from, having the freedom to be the captain of your ship and having to take care of the crew.

Great Uncertainty

What I find most challenging is the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. As a young entrepreneur, I don’t have a big telescope to see far ahead or the flexibility to look all around me. And when the waters get rough, it’s me who needs to remain calm.

Sometimes I wish I was in a ‘normal’ corporate job, a job with a guarantee of payment and nice benefits. But I also realize that you are essentially rowing someone else’s ship. If that’s for a good cause, a great venture you love or public institution I think it can be the right path for many people.

I want to be the captain of my own ship.

Taking Control

Time is my most valuable asset (and it’s yours too). Today, tomorrow and in the future, I can decide where I want to spend that time.

My time of course also gets determined in a small part by the needs of my business, but I was the one who originally decided on making the business. It’s also me who decides of the needs of the business are important, not someone who happens to be in a company for a bit longer than myself.

In the past year I’ve also found out that when you are free to learn, you learn really fast. I now know the basics of  taxes, marketing, strategy and many more topics. At the same time, I’ve had a crash course on delegating and know very well that I can’t do everything alone. It’s by working together with a great partner (Onno Smits) that I’ve been able to build a great business. A business in which we can enjoy going to work each day.

SS Wolswijk

I’m building my own ship and it becomes a little bit bigger each day. On my journey, I am sure that I will encounter rough waters, pirates and even icebergs. I also know for sure that I will be able to overcome these obstacles and sail on. I might even see some friendly ships next to me.