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Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone but Here’s How You Can Succeed

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Before the rise of corporations in the Industrial Revolution, most people worked for themselves. Now, we’re circling back as millions of workers have had a taste of freedom.

What’s causing this renewed interest in entrepreneurial ventures? For many, the turning point came during the height of pandemic lockdowns. People experienced autonomy as they worked from home, spent more time with their loved ones, and could arrange their schedules according to their needs. Unwilling to let go of that newfound freedom, many are handing in their resignation letters and setting out to start their own businesses.

Perhaps you’re one of the many looking to follow your dreams. Remember that the road from “I quit” to successful entrepreneurial ventures is anything but straight, predictable, or easy. But it is certainly achievable, especially if you engage with proven business models that provide networks, resources, and support.

The Entrepreneurial Scale

Before we get into what a proven business model is and why it matters, it’s important to understand the scale of entrepreneurship. On the very left side, you have the self-employed 1099 contractor. On the right side, you have someone who creates something out of nothing, a trailblazing visionary who takes 100% of the risk.

The proven business model concept can work well for those in the middle of that continuum. They are directing their daily lives on their own with no one telling them what to do, but they also don’t need to do all the experimentation and risk-taking that comes with creating something from scratch.

Make no mistake: Following a proven business model doesn’t restrict your autonomy. You’ll still have mastery over your time. But you’ll need to follow the system you’re given consistently to set yourself up for success without having to reinvent any wheels.

If you’re looking for more freedom than the corporate world could give you, the first place to look is inward. Take a step back, confirm you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and figure out what kind you are. If you’re the type who might benefit from some established structure, the next step is to discover the business model that’s right for you. Start here:

1. Honestly assess whether you have the makings of an entrepreneur.

You know you’re an entrepreneur if you don’t need to be told what to do. You don’t ask for permission; you ask for forgiveness later. You act now, and you just go with your ideas. You’re a risk-taker, but you take responsibility and blame no one for your failures or setbacks. You can think outside the box and see problems and solutions where others don’t. And, most essentially, you have a passion and drive to perform on your own and for yourself.

Once you confirm you’re an entrepreneur, assess where you fall on the continuum. If you’re somewhere in the middle between self-employed contractor and from-the-ground-up entrepreneur, you can find success with a proven business model. But be sure to carefully assess where you fall. If you’re a visionary with big, creative ideas, for example, you might be too far to the right to find fulfillment following an existing model.

2. Identify the purpose that will fuel the fire in your belly.

Work without purpose becomes dull very quickly. That’s why so many workers with entrepreneurial leanings become disengaged. Accordingly, you want to name and claim your purpose. For instance, I have had a lifelong passion for helping entrepreneurs. This led me to find a proven system that allowed me to become a business coach.

To make your list, record everything that you’re passionate about. Maybe it’s working with kids or college students. Whatever it is, write it down. Then, flesh out your purpose a little more.

Let’s say you like working with school children: Do you want to teach them? Do you like the activity so much that you want to do it on a day-to-day basis? Once you confirm what will give you the motivation to keep going, you can start looking for a corresponding business that features a proven income model.

“Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites yuo in life into capital, so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.” – Richard Branson

3. Search through existing business models that line up with your purpose.

Plenty of entrepreneurial ventures are out there. Some have high levels of investment; others require relatively low financial outlays. Make sure you have a budget in mind and then seek out business models in your range. For instance, going back to the idea of tutoring young people, you might consider owning a local Kumon Learning Center. Those usually fall into the low-to-middle investment end.

Maybe your budget is higher and your passion is serving food to families. Opening a well-known chain restaurant could be the right choice. You’ll likely need access to a substantial upfront capital, but many chains have known working models that tend to be lucrative when followed closely.

As a caveat, be cautious when hunting for entrepreneurial ventures. If part of the model’s revenue system is based on somebody else making money from you joining, that should raise some red flags. It matters who is bringing you into the model. If it’s an individual who is personally incentivized financially, beyond maybe a nominal referral fee, to get you into the model because they get a significant portion of your revenue, then be wary. You should only be dealing with a model’s business operations group and not individuals looking to fill their downline.

4. Decide who you want to operate the business.

You need to honestly interrogate yourself and confirm what type of entrepreneur you are and want to be, then go through the process of filtering the many opportunities. For example, do you want to be in charge, or do you want to hire others to operate your business?

If you want to be an absentee owner, look for something hands-free like WaveMax, a coin-operated full-service laundry franchise. You just need to write the check, hire the general manager, and do nothing else after that. It’s recurring passive income, and you can then scale it from there based on your investment returns.

5. Gauge the business model’s support system.

You’ve narrowed down your business model options to one or two possibilities. Now, it’s time to evaluate your top contenders on the support they give.

A proven business model should give you leads, a sales and marketing process, a business development framework, and more. This enables you to skip a lot of the back-end startup responsibilities and start earning faster.

Be diligent about checking references as well. Talk to other users of the business model: Do they feel like the model works and allows them to realize their purpose? Are they profitable or on a path to becoming profitable? The more hard and anecdotal data you have at your fingertips, the easier it will be to pinpoint the right model for you.

The road to entrepreneurship isn’t a straightforward, exacting one. Many entrepreneurs never get liftoff. However, aligning yourself with a business model that’s proven itself time and again can afford you the runway you need to soar.

Mark O’Donnell is the visionary at EOS Worldwide and is passionate about helping entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses. He helps clients clarify their goals and objectives and take actionable steps to achieve them. Mark is a four-time Inc. 500|5000 entrepreneur with experience in high-growth organizations.

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Business

The Entrepreneur’s Reading List That Transforms Ideas Into Empires

These must-read titles and writing insights reveal how entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into empire-level success.

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Entrepreneurship is powered by stories—of accomplishment, failure, and decision moments that define businesses. Books are maps, providing insight from individuals who’ve traversed the road ahead. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs

Learn essential lessons, success strategies, and mindset shifts every aspiring entrepreneur needs to overcome challenges and build a thriving business.

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Back in July 2017, I attended a business seminar on entrepreneurship in India. With my appetite for learning and meeting new people, I wanted to explore the latest developments in the entrepreneurial world. (more…)

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