A Teacher’s (Mis)Advice
I was chatting with some graduating students on their career plans after college.
Interestingly enough, a group of students had started a social enterprise idea that for me, showed significant promise. It wasn’t just a concept; They’ve actually prototyped and run a small-scale pilot as part of the course requirements. In fact, with some further refinement, the enterprise was viable. Sales were already being generated, and I could see how it could evolve into larger things.
You would think that the teacher who guided them through this project would be enthusiastically encouraging the students to pursue the enterprise post-graduation.
But the contrary proved to be true.
The students wanted to pursue the enterprise. The teacher, instead of rallying behind this, actually insisted that they apply for a 9-to-5 job instead. That is the better path to pursue, according to her. The social enterprise would just be too risky.
This teacher, whom I don’t know from Adam, has a class on business and entrepreneurship. Yes, my friends. Entrepreneurship.
Imagine my disappointment when I heard this.
Granted, the teacher might have been thinking that the students would benefit from some years’ experience as an employee. I’d really like to give her the benefit of the doubt.
But from the way it was narrated to me, that might not be the case. The teacher was adamant that the students be practical and go for the safety of employment instead. By the way, it might interest you to know that the teacher isn’t an entrepreneur.
Thankfully, there was one member of the group who adamantly wanted to pursue the enterprise, and did go for it. In that bullheaded decision, I see the seeds of a true entrepreneur being born.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it. That business could very well fail. It IS risky. This could be a very hard road to take.
But entrepreneurship is never about using kid gloves – even when dealing with, well, kids.
You fall, you pick yourself up, you move along. That’s what entrepreneurs do. But it’s important that they actually leaped first.
Entrepreneurship is hard, period. Arguably, social entrepreneurship even more so. But if we don’t encourage people to take the plunge, then we’d pretty much never get anywhere.
Peter Drucker said, “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”
We need our schools – and our teachers – to spur more courage, not dampen it.
“By the way, it might interest you to know that the teacher isn’t an entrepreneur.” Real teachers teach only from the heart. They do not just parrot what textbook authors think. Poor “kids.”
“The teacher was adamant that the students be practical and go for the safety of employment instead.” If the teacher said so because the students would benefit from certain level of discipline and professionalism required by big, formal structures, then I would have understood. But…?!!!
And to the brave soul who pursued the enterprise, I know he/she would reach places, maybe or maybe not through this enterprise, that would never be known to those who decide to take the safe, risk-free path. That teacher included. =)
i hear you Chona!
I have utmost respect for the teaching profession, being one myself :p It’s just that this class was supposed to be about entrepreneurship! If it was for accounting or corporate strategy, I’d be singing an entirely different tune :p