The Second Act - Magazine - Page 8
“THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING.”
We have heard this idiom time and again, especially when something
unexpected happens, or we embark on something new.
I
t is supposed to provide
comfort, make us feel grounded
in the absence of certainty.
For first-time entrepreneurs, the
journey could be extraordinarily
challenging with little help and
a lot to learn, and yet those who
move ahead, shaping their ideas
into reality, know the journey is
worth every bit of effort.
the ‘entrepreneurial gene’ that
makes it happen. And yet, almost
everyone agrees, there’s a certain
level of grit, focus, relentlessness
and willingness to take risks
that make an entrepreneur,
that creates a venture, or many
ventures.
But, what is it that makes some
entrepreneurs
take
on
the
challenge again? What makes
first-time entrepreneurs - secondtime entrepreneurs, or even thirdtime entrepreneurs? Are there
lessons that can be applied to
subsequent ventures? If so, why
do some entrepreneurs stick with
one venture, while others go on
to create multiple businesses?
As you’ll read in this edition, most
entrepreneurs, who went on to
create multiple companies, said
they wanted ‘more’. They had
not done enough with their first
venture, the creative urge was
unsatisfied or they just wanted
to tell a different story and chose
a different narrative with the
subsequent ventures. In every
case, the ‘more’ was evident - be it
a desire to achieve ‘more’ success
or create ‘more’ opportunities.
And yet, if we dig a little deeper,
we realize that the achieving
aspect of it is often secondary to
the ‘doing’ part of it. In that sense,
it truly is about the journey rather
than the destination.
There has been much debate
on the entrepreneurial lifestyle.
While there are some who say
entrepreneurial skills can be
taught and learnt, there are
others who are convinced it is
There are well known names in
the entrepreneurial community
around the world who serve as
an example of what success looks
like the second time around, just
as there are entrepreneurs who
Whether the venture they create
succeeds or fails is another story.
It is the exhilaration of trying
something for the first time that
makes the experience unique.
8 | GRIT MA GA Z I NE
succeeded at their first venture
and continued to pursue it. Elon
Musk, Richard Branson, Oprah
Winfrey are only some of the
names that come to mind when
talking about entrepreneurs who
have achieved unprecedented
success. It is not surprising that
people around the world try to
emulate their success and imbibe
their work ethics.
On a glance, there doesn’t seem
to be much difference between
entrepreneurs and second-time
(or serial) entrepreneurs. They
have the same enthusiasm, the
same passion, and the same urge
to create a business.
Perhaps it’s not differences that
we ought to be looking for, but
similarities.
An insatiable thirst for learning,
the
unrelenting
pursuit
of
perfection, and the ability to relish
challenges, might be what forms
the core of every entrepreneur.
A belief that the chance of
achieving success is greater than
failure, and the humility to accept
defeat, and retry when needed.
Be it during the very first venture
or the fiftieth.