Entrepreneurship For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1

Understanding Entrepreneurship

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding what entrepreneurship really means

Discovering the many types of entrepreneurs

Deciding to become an entrepreneur

The term entrepreneur has become so much a part of everyday usage that some of the key attributes that define an entrepreneur have been worn away. The faces of entrepreneurs have become familiar to us, as they host podcasts and show us how it’s done on YouTube and TikTok.

It’s not surprising then that entrepreneurs come in an amazing variety of types and styles. And they are a unique breed. The ventures they create disrupt the market. That’s because entrepreneurs change the way you and I do things — usually for the better.

For example, Heather Ward, founder of Hyperion Global Energy in Ottawa, Canada, led the development of a modular system that captures CO₂ from the smokestack emissions of heavy industry and uses the carbon to make materials. She and other cleantech entrepreneurs are one example of those who are taking on big, difficult problems that most believe can’t easily be solved.

Any problem, even the most complex, can be broken into chunks, each one a smaller problem that may be easier to ...