I have spent my life with entrepreneurs. My dad, who started his own business later in life, was the first person I observed going through what it means to be an entrepreneur. I saw the countless hours he spent, the commitment to getting it done, the ups and downs. I saw him retire young only to keep working because he didn’t know how not to. As he struggled with cancer, I witnessed his desire to make sure he left behind a record so that others could learn from his unique experiences. He taught me what it means to be a true entrepreneur. It means sharing with others, helping them by telling your own stories, being unafraid to learn and make mistakes. It’s also about dealing with issues head on and doing whatever it takes to be truly independent.
I realized then that being an entrepreneur was a lifestyle choice. It’s a decision that, to a certain extent, emerges directly from who we are and how we think. Once we recognize this calling, we should embrace it wholeheartedly - for it’s a path that allows us to become unique and meaningful contributors to our economy and society. Further, it’s a path that can positively impact not only your own life but the lives and well-being of many others.
Related: From Arlene: It's A Digital World. Or Is It?
Later, when I became an entrepreneur myself, I realized again that what I had become was really just an extension of who I already was. I wanted to be in control of my life and to live it fully. I had been raised to believe that the enjoyment of work could actually be something that was a direct expression of who I was at the deepest level. I learned that while the highs were higher and the lows lower than I could have ever dreamed, I just simply couldn’t imagine not going along for the ride.
This is what it means to be an entrepreneur. It means going all in. It means not worrying about balance but instead ensuring that you are living each moment to its fullest. When Work is Life is exactly how it felt to me.
Creating YouInc made good sense to me. Dragon’s Den certainly gave me the platform to meet and work with countless entrepreneurs. And my business, Venture Communications, has been helping companies grow for decades. I know what it means to be an entrepreneur. And I saw there was no place online that really spoke in the voice of an entrepreneur, or that truly understood that this was a lifestyle choice - one that could lead to great success, personally and professionally.
This community is about just that. YouInc is alive with content and insights, offering countless opportunities to collaborate, share and learn from like-minded men and women. YouInc is a one-stop destination for support, information and entertainment - a place where you won’t be made to feel you somehow are broken because you aren’t “balanced.”
I hope you find a home for yourself in this community - and that you share your stories of triumph and adversity, of growing and failing. Connecting with one another, and telling our stories, is invaluable - and a form of enlightened self-interest. In other words, the more you give back to your fellow entrepreneurs, the more you’ll benefit. And I know you’ll find immense value for your businesses on YouInc. In fact, we’ve designed the site to be a responsive experience, offering up valuable stories and rewards tailored to the journey you’re on. And while it can be very lonely at the top, you’re not alone. By taking the time to be open and honest with each other, we will all benefit - and this is the true measure of success: helping others help themselves.
I am proud to have created YouInc, a place for content and community - and I’m grateful, on this day, to be able to open the gates. YouInc belongs to all entrepreneurs who understand and embrace this wonderful, crazy and all-encompassing lifestyle.
Tags: arlene dickinson, benefit, collaboration, community, content, dragons den, economy, entrepreneur, experience, lifestyle, society, youinc, blog
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