What Happens When I Try to be Funny

[TimK]

Okay, I'll admit that I'm not generally a funny guy. But I thought I knew at least the theory behind humor. I thought I knew how it worked. But a surprising number of people are reading my recent post Top Ten Reasons to Remain a Wage Slave and taking it seriously. They're linking to it and adding comments like "entrepreneurship isn't for everyone." (Maybe these recommendations are jokes in their own right.) Yeah, I guess it isn't for everyone. But I don't yet understand why not, and how could anyone think that I do? Am I missing the joke? Or am I the joke?

-TimK

[Blaine Moore]

Okay, I'll admit that I'm not generally a funny guy. But I thought I knew at least the theory behind humor. I thought I knew how it worked. But a surprising number of people are reading my recent post Top Ten Reasons to Remain a Wage Slave and taking it seriously. They're linking to it and adding comments like "entrepreneurship isn't for everyone." (Maybe these recommendations are jokes in their own right.) Yeah, I guess it isn't for everyone. But I don't yet understand why not, and how could anyone think that I do? Am I missing the joke? Or am I the joke?

-TimK
[/b]

Well, I can definately see the tongue in cheek (or, as you get farther down the list, the hammer flying at your head) in your list.

However, as a general premise, entrepreneurship is not for everybody. Most businesses fail within 6 months, and most of those left fail within a year, and most of those left fail within 5 years. It takes a certain type to even be able to consider that as a way of life.

For myself, it sounds exciting, but I am only just starting to cover my hosting costs with my own attempts so I do not really have the experience to weigh in on how much better being your own man is.

By the way, that's a slick look you got your site there. I like it.

[TimK]

Well, I can definately see the tongue in cheek (or, as you get farther down the list, the hammer flying at your head) in your list.
[/b]

Good.

However, as a general premise, entrepreneurship is not for everybody. Most businesses fail within 6 months, and most of those left fail within a year, and most of those left fail within 5 years. It takes a certain type to even be able to consider that as a way of life.
[/b]

I agree that entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Even for the entrepreneurial. I myself have always been very entrepreneurial in that I'm a creative and innovative person. But for years, I wouldn't have been able to succeed in my own business. Now, I believe I have at least all the basic skills I need. Ten years more down the road, I may look back and wonder how I could have been so naive. Each person walks a different path.

Note: It is an urban legend that most business fail. If you look at all the people who cash out, selling their business, and say they "failed," then you can get the figure up to 60%. But more realisticially, less than half of new business fail. And if you have any idea what you're doing, less than a quarter of those businesses fail. (See also this article at Entrepreur.com.)

For myself, it sounds exciting, but I am only just starting to cover my hosting costs with my own attempts so I do not really have the experience to weigh in on how much better being your own man is.
[/b]

Nor do I. Of course, that doesn't stop me from having an opinion.

By the way, that's a slick look you got your site there. I like it.
[/b]

Thanks. It looks a little funky in IE, unfortunately. But there isn't much I can do about that. Most of my readers use Firefox, fortunately.

-TimK

[JamesET]

I would disagree about the urban myth. Bankruptcy is not the only reason for failed businesses. Most do not make it past the 5 year mark. I admit it would take more effort than I am willing spend to double check that figure. There is a reason so many people are afraid (even if wrong) to invest in the stock market. If there was no risk of the company going under you could not fail to make money with stocks and we would all be rich.

Be careful of professors and teachers (no offense to any here) that base all their knowledge on theory and do not run their own businesses. You would learn more about marketing from Perry Marshall than you would in a college and it would be more accurate.

My dad had a saying about business advice from teachers in college.
Those who can't, teach.

The best advice I have gotten from teachers (two completely different cases) was that the area I was studying was not going to be a good place to be in the near future. One was a photography teacher - the photographic industry has really been a terrible business lately (major manufacturers going out of business and the rest cutting back). The other was a computer networking teacher (just before the dot com crash).

Most businesses that fail happen because of a bad business model (the dot coms) or major marketplace changes (the photographic industry is following the horse and buggy). Sometimes both. Some are just scams from the start.

One of Aitches sites had a book review that pointed out the author had a business that many people lost money with. I have met people who lost tens of thousands of dollars on this author's businesses. Most of these types of home businesses would not be recorded as a business failure by the SBA, just personal bankruptcy.

There is always room for an Entreprenuer. One who can find a new business model in an old market (McDonald's or Wal Mart) or has an original product that will catch hold (Coca-Cola). Better yet, both.

Not sure what any of this had to do with your original post (sorry). Businesses do fail. That is why there is risk. Otherwise, we'd all be rich with our own businesses.

[TimK]

Hi, James. Yes, businesses do fail. That doesn't mean most businesses "fail." Some business owners sell out. Others decide the passion is gone and go on to something else.

Last week, my sister-in-law had her baby, many weeks premature. Everybody was freaking out. My first thought was, What if they lose the baby? I immediately went to the Internet to get more information. I found out the chances for a 26-week-old faetus to survive: 20%.

I thought, if only 25% of new businesses fail, she has a better chance than I do.

(Actually, I had the numbers wrong. I thought she was only 26 weeks along, whereas she was actually 29 weeks. Little Kayda was born without further incident, still very young, but doing very well considering.)

-TimK