The Difference Between an Entrepreneur and a Businessman: A Personal View

There’s a small but important difference between an Entrepreneur and a Businessman. All Entrepreneurs are Businessmen, but not all Businessmen are Entrepreneurs. My professor explained this to me during my college days, and it has stuck with me ever since. I’d like to share this understanding through this article.

A Businessman usually follows a "WIN-WIN" approach. This means he focuses on success for himself or his customer, but he may ignore the impact on society. For example, a businessman might create a company that solves a customer’s problem and creates jobs and profits. But if his product harms society, he’s not an entrepreneur—he’s just a businessman.

My professor shared an example from 26 years ago. The Ghutka company, who was very successful. It made a lot of money, paid taxes, created jobs, and even donated to causes like the Ganesh Mandal. However, its product harmed people’s health. So, despite the business doing well, it had a negative impact on society, which made it more of a business venture than an entrepreneurial one.

An entrepreneur, on the other hand, follows a "WIN-WIN-WIN" approach. This means finding a solution that benefits the entrepreneur, the customer, and society. Today, many entrepreneurs aim for this, but they often end up in a "LOSE-WIN-WIN" situation. This means the Entrepreneur struggles to succeed, while the customer and society benefit. This can be frustrating, as the entrepreneur is helping others but not able to grow personally.

I’ve always wanted to support and uplift these Entrepreneurs—those who handle everything themselves. They are designers, manufacturers, workers, managers, accountants, HR, maintenance staff, buyers, bankers, clerks, and experts in their field. Even though they do all these roles, they often go unnoticed and underappreciated.

I seek a chance to give them the recognition and support they deserve. These entrepreneurs are unique, and it’s time we come together to empower them. Our Mission to make Machining-Intervention free in inline with the Indians mission to help and empower the needy manufacturer with our expert solution. Do reach out us to know more on ravi@speroni.in