On July 4, 1776, some of the greatest entrepreneurs the world has ever seen took action, forever altering the history of the world. The founding fathers of the United States of America signed the Declaration of Independence, beginning a start up of an entire nation. Like entrepreneurs today, they too faced difficulties, although a bit different and more life-threatening, such as a military super power sending their army to muscle them out. Although they weren’t starting a business, they were taking huge risks to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones, a characteristic of the American ideal, an ideal that is probably best represented in the form of entrepreneurism.
America has always been a land of opportunity, where the motto of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” is widely used and believed in. Starting your own business has always been an option, and has been encouraged throughout life. Lemonade stands are a childhood memory that many cherish, the kids in class who had their own business of selling candy at lunch were always admired, and now today, even in a time of recession and despair, people are tapping into American ideals and starting their own businesses in record numbers.
It’s being reported that between 500,000 to 1 million new businesses were started last year, a stunning fact that seemingly stands in defiance to the economic times. People are becoming disillusioned with the idea of becoming lifers to a corporation, realizing that the dream promised to the last generation is now dead and gone. Instead, young dreamers are following their hearts and becoming their own source of financial security, becoming truly independent.
Young entrepreneurs are finding problems that need solutions, fixing them, and showing the world that there are options other than becoming a subservient slave to the corporate machine. A prime example is Daniel Newman, jumping at the opportunity to fix the “death grip” problem for the Apple iPhone 4 by making his own product and selling it at a third of the price that Apple is charging.
People are now opening franchises, restaurants, clothing stores, and other businesses, with the hopes that not only can they help their community, but to help themselves in the process. They invest in buildings, point of sale systems, products and employees, taking risks that many would not, all for the hopes of a better life and leading the American dream. Many believe that in order to succeed you need to be initially wealthy, that social mobility isn’t a possibility. It’s true that having that privilege will help, but having prime location office buildings, cutting edge pos systems, and all the starting capital you’ll need can’t replace the drive and will that someone with a dream has.
Independence Day just passed, and it feels great to know, that after centuries of wear and tear the ideals this nation was built on are just as strong as ever.
Andrew Sale is an expert writer on phone systems based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs such as VoIP service at Resource Nation.
