Busting the myth of Entrepreneurship.

I recently switched my job and joined a Business incubator program that is powered by Pakistan’s leading tech-based company. Joining this company was always something that I used to dream of. Being a Pakistani IT professional who is crazy about exploring news ideas and concepts to outshine in her career, this organization was surely a name on top of my “Dream Companies” list followed by Microsoft, of course.

Working for a business incubator and getting myself into Pakistani entrepreneurial landscape is surely a wonderful experience. I’m so excited to see that there are zillions of ideas in the market seeking incubation opportunities. I recently attended a similar kind of event conducted by a local university in Lahore. And it gave me nostalgia and a very tingling feeling as if I lost a huge opportunity in my life, yeah, it really did! And you know why? Go back to the starting statements of this piece of writing and you might get an idea. Did you? Did you find that? Nay? Alright, never mind, I can explain. I’m a job-oriented person *breaks the glass window and jump off the multi-story building*. Yes, since the day I joined my business school (by the way, I did MBIT in Marketing from a local university) – I was taught to dream of “dream companies” to get JOB! Yes, you heard it right to get a job!

The story doesn’t end here. A lot of young people in this country belonging to middle or lower class families grow up their selves in a very bulldozing atmosphere. You have to earn money, you have to pay bills, you have to get married and then, of course, you have to double your expense. And for that, YOU JUST CAN’T RISK YOUR STREAM OF INCOME. You have to have a JOB in a successful company else, you will suffer from poverty and you might die of a disease for which you can’t afford the treatment *sniff*. And of course, you will have to arrange dowry for your daughter who hasn’t shown up her face on planet earth yet BUT you have to plan this all! *Grimy social pressures*.

This mindset has made us a job-seeker by default. We’re naturally scared of taking risks, thus, we end up working for some organization whose CEO/owner was not afraid of taking RISKS.

I clearly understand that it is not possible that everyone should start up their own businesses. However, I firmly believe that our educational system, our families, and our society must encourage an entrepreneurial mindset in individuals at every level (be it students, women, children whatsoever.). This is not necessary that you do your business, even if you’re doing a job, the entrepreneurial mindset will enable you to own what you do. I know it sounds really fancy, but that’s the truth. Imagine that you start working in your job as if you own the business, you’ll produce results better than before (for sure you’ll).

I will conclude this blog with a hope that the entire ecosystem including educational institutes, our families, society, government and all, must not force a job mindset in the upcoming generation. They must be encouraged to show some entrepreneurial spirit wherever they go and whatever they do.