Why I’m an Entrepreneur

Being the founder of a business, or in my case two businesses -- Ciplex and Open Me -- often leads others to consider the journey to success as somewhat of a mystery. Piecing together the entrepreneurial paths of others isn’t always as easy as it seems.

Since “putting myself out there” via mentoring, blogging, and generally sharing my advice with others, I’ve had a number of individuals inquire about how I got to where I am today, why I’ve made certain business decisions, my personal mantras, and even why I decided to become an entrepreneur. Most are surprised to hear my story of going from a lone computer geek to multimillion-dollar business owner.

But there’s more to my journey than who I am, what I’ve accomplished, and where I want to go in the future. What about the “why” part of my story? Like Guy Kawasaki says, “Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone.” So, why do I undertake the risks and rewards of being a business founder and entrepreneur every day? Let’s take a look:

Finding The Work-Life Mesh

I have an uninhibited love for what I do every day, which is something I’ve found most people can’t say for themselves. For many, the idea of work -- even if it’s being done in a home office -- has an extremely negative connotation. We’re constantly being told to master the art of the “work-life balancing act” to ensure work doesn’t take over our personal lives.

We spend a quarter of our lives at work, so why look at it as “putting in time?” For me, loving my career is monumental in creating what I like to think of as a mesh between my professional and personal lives. It’s crazy to think so many people search desperately for ways to separate these two things, when in fact they should be complementary.

My passion for my job and my flexibility as a business founder has allowed me to establish my life in such a way that the personal and professional aspects mesh together. In fact, I was recently able to take some paternity leave and work from home after the birth of my second daughter.

That’s the beauty of it…entrepreneurs can work whenever they want, wherever they want, and however they want. And my companies are set up to really encompass that concept. I hire people who are truly passionate about what they do and give them the autonomy to work how and when they’d like to accomplish things. This means unlimited vacation and the flexibility of working from home. I believe that everyone should be working how and when they feel is best for them. In the long run, this reinforces productivity and happiness all around.

Looking Forward

So much of why I’m an serial entrepreneur comes back to my constant focus on the future. I’m always thinking of ways to make life better for others, especially my children as they grow up.

Today, the innovations created through technology have given us more time for the things that really matter in life. But on the other hand, it’s also taken some of the more personal interactions and thoughtfulness out of our lives. This isn’t a future I like to consider, and it’s actually why I started Open Me, my online greeting card company. Since the greeting card industry has failed to innovate accordingly, we’re left sending thoughtless “happy birthday” statements via social media, rather than personal and thoughtful messages that come from the heart. Being an entrepreneur means driving the types of interpersonal changes I want to see spread far and wide.

The Power Of Influence

It’s no secret that mentorship is a huge part of the “how” and “why” part of journey as an entrepreneur. If my longtime mentor Tom Antion didn’t take me under his wing when I was a teenager, I don’t think I’d be where I am today. This is why influencing and mentoring others is a key component in everything I do.

As a business founder, I’ve learned numerous lessons, and I’d be doing the world an injustice not to share them with others. That could mean giving advice on improving your productivity at work so you have more time to spend with your loved one, helping you to turn around your less-than-thriving startup, or even showing you how to be more thoughtful in your professional and personal life. In short, I do what I do -- like writing for LinkedIn Today -- to inspire action in others to not only fix things for themselves, but the world as a whole.

My passion for my career, making the world a better place, and influencing others to follow suit are just a few aspects of why I’m an entrepreneur.

What’s your story? What’s the driving force in all that you do?

Image courtesy of NikonFilm35; Flickr

About Ilya Pozin:

Founder of Ciplex and Open Me. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!