Reuniting with the inner entrepreneur

Editor’s note: Michelle Stockman is an independent consultant with her company, Fort Smith-based Msaada Group. Stockman earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University-Chicago in communications and fine arts, and earned a master’s in entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University. Her thoughts on business success appear each week on The City Wire.

I’m in denial that my 20th high school reunion is upon me — “go Thunderbirds” — yet I’m excited about making connections I never really made in high school. I was the odd gothic looking art chick in high school who was as quiet as a Ally Sheedy in the “Breakfast Club” and awkward as a lost puppy.

I was different in many ways from the “cool kids,” but I didn’t understand why. Society had a narrow focus on career paths at that point (the industrial mindset was still alive and well), and I tried to fit in the one that allowed my ideas to flow onto paper.

I explored my “skills” through fine arts, music and keeping myself busy with minimum wage work ($1.75 then $2.25 back then) to save money for college. All along, I felt like a square peg getting pushed through the round hole. I just didn’t fit.

College flew by and a career began, then one day I discovered entrepreneurship. Voila! It was a perfect fit for the ideas, inventions and skills I have been interested in all my life. Instead of a lemonade stand, which I had at one point, I made homemade magazines with my crayons to sell when I was 7? Sad that the thought owning my own business was thwarted for so many years, I was happy to find my fit.

After running my first business for awhile, more lessons were learned than were taught throughout my whole academic career. When I decided to close the business to care for my mom, I found an opportunity to share my start-up screw-ups with others through entrepreneurship development (like economic development). I have been blessed to learn about so many industries, businesses and people through this entrepreneurship ride.

From the ability to “read” markets, see industry and consumer changes, read the stories behind your business’ financials and deal with the daily dramas that surround your business camp, you have to be a uniquely skilled individual. Entrepreneurs never stop learning, always seek to grow and never stop thinking about opportunities. Entrepreneurship is club of individuals who walk a path of risk, wake up as CEO yet go to bed as the janitor, who constantly think about product development, customer development and much more.

The Kauffman Foundation said it best: “I am an entrepreneur, following a dream, pursuing an opportunity, and taking charge of my destiny. (I am) bringing something of value to society, making a job for myself and for others, and creating wealth that benefits my family, my community, my country and my world. (I am) one of a movement of millions of entrepreneurs and innovators who made America great, and who will keep our economy going … and growing …”

While most kids used their toy chest for their toys, I used mine as a lab for my “crazy” inventions. I admit I detoured from my “crazy scientist” mindset, but the reality of who I am will never die. As I head back to the homeland, Chicago, to reconnect with classmates, I can be proud to say I am an entrepreneur regardless of where life’s road takes me.

What’s your entrepreneur story? The more you can share your story, the more we can help our communities understand who we are, where we are and what can help you grow. As you grow, our communities do too.

The Kauffman Foundation encourages you to teach others or mentor an aspiring entrepreneur, make your voice heard where political policy is concerned, give back to the community that has helped you and celebrate the great accomplishment you have achieved in starting your own business. This is what makes our country strong.

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Stockman can be reached at [email protected]