Entrepreneurship isn’t easy. It requires bold action. On the following pages, we spotlight 50 entrepreneurs who dared to go big in the past year—and who can inspire us all to dare even bigger.
Elon Musk
The Right Kind of Daring?
Two business professors square off on today’s most talked-about founder — and why entrepreneurs should (or shouldn’t!) be like Musk.
Tesla is a well-publicized mess—behind on production, abandoned by its executives, and embroiled in an SEC investigation. Musk, too, often appears to be a mess— increasingly erratic on Twitter, lurching from one PR crisis to the next. But in 2018, his company SpaceX launched and landed a giant rocket (and then booked the first passenger for a trip around the moon), his hyperloop technology scored a contract with the city of Chicago, and his battery-making Gigafactory hit new strides. So is he a model to follow? Our experts square off.
He’s an Inspiration!
by Leonard Sherman,
professor of business, Columbia University
Entrepreneurs are dreamers: To succeed despite the many obstacles ahead, they need to not only have a unique vision, but to also be relentlessly devoted to it. This is what makes Musk such a model worth following. Yes, he may at times be self-destructive, egomaniacal, and quixotic, but he’s also in the pantheon of greatest innovators of all time. May we all be so bold.
Steve Jobs, another flawed genius, might as well have been writing about Musk when he scripted the voiceover to Apple’s iconic “Think Different” TV spot that aired in 1997. It kicked off: “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.” And its bold conclusion: “Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
This story is from the November 2018 edition of Entrepreneur.
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This story is from the November 2018 edition of Entrepreneur.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Why Small Businesses Can't Afford to Grow
Big companies take a long time to pay their suppliers. Sometimes, so long that the supplier goes out of business. Two entrepreneurs wanted to find out why this system is so broken-and wound up creating a solution.
MY FAVORITE CUSTOMER
For small, independent businesses, loyal patrons are benefactors, protectors, muses, and mascots. They make sure the show goes on. Here, three business owners celebrate an irreplaceable member of their community.
Do You Say 'Yes' Enough?
We don't give ourselves enough credit for trying. So let's start doing it right now.
He Does $10 Million-Plus in Sales
When Jeffrey Bell gave up horse training to buy a Floor Coverings International franchise, he wanted to get out ahead of his new pack. To do that, he had to learn to delegate.
How This Business Rookie Became a Top Seller
After competing in two Olympics, Cammile Adams dove headfirst into her second career - and became SafeSplash Swim School's #1 franchisee. Here's how.
How to Pick the Perfect Franchise For You
There are a lot of great brands out there. But that doesn't mean they're all a great fit.
Serving the Underserved
When Dennis Johnson opened a Pizza Ranch in Minnesota, he hoped to serve the nearby Native American communities in more ways than one.
When Life Is Preparation
Vanesa Ellis was no expert on mosquitoes or lawn care. But as it turns out, something else made her the perfect fit for two home-care franchise brands.
Changing Careers? Consider Franchising.
Here are five reasons why franchise ownership could be the right fit for you.
WRANGLING THE MANY-HEADED MONSTER
For mom-and-pop business owners, just as inflation calms in one area of operations, it rears its head somewhere else. The best way to stay on top of it, experts say, is to stay flexible.
