A path to freedom

The biggest lie told about entrepreneurship is that it's a path to riches. Getting rich is not a great reason to become an entrepreneur because if you're just playing the odds, it's unlikely to happen, even though it could. The VC industrial complex, (my term for the Silicon Valley VC-Media-Twitter echo chamber), puts a lot of focus on success and founders getting rich in the media.

How many high-flying CEOs have landed on the cover of Forbes Magazine in a glossy photo that often foretells the downfall of that company? As soon as you reach that pinnacle, the next step in the narrative is typically the downfall. The media loves to pump out stories of Silicon Valley wunderkinds…but this is like making it to the NBA, and winning the NBA title. There are a lot more people who just played a little high school ball who are entrepreneurs.

My advice: Don’t get into entrepreneurship for the money.

Do get into entrepreneurship to create agency in your life, if you aspire to the freedom of waking up every morning and doing something you are truly driven to do.

And that doesn’t mean going surfing all day, as much as it would be fun to do so. It does mean work, but at least you’re focused on what you want to be doing and following an inner motivation. Something aspirational. Something personal that you want to manifest into the world.

An important part of knowing yourself is identifying the reason you're driven to be an entrepreneur. For me, it has always been agency—I want to have as much control over my own life as possible.

I’ve been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years. Occasionally, I feel like I’m keeping up a big charade, and I’m going to have to hang it up and get a real job. Maybe someday, but not today.

Entrepreneurship is a path to freedom… and that's a good enough reason for me.

- Chris