Wantrepreneur
So, you want to be an Entrepreneur?
The term "wantrepreneur" describes someone within the startup industry who appears enthusiastic about entrepreneurship but fails to take the necessary actions to succeed. It is imperative not to fall into this category.
For those familiar with the early days of dial-up Internet, you may recall the need to purchase Internet hours, carefully counting every minute spent online. As a teenager, I developed a passion for the Internet and discovered a method to bypass this limitation. Within days, I realized the potential to monetize this knowledge by selling the solution to others facing the same issue, thus beginning my entrepreneurial journey at age 15.
My father owned a car dealership and managed his inventory manually through a website. Recognizing the inefficiency, I created a web application to automate the process. Later, I discovered a similar application, designed for broader public use, which was subsequently acquired by a major company. This experience taught me the importance of scaling solutions and seeking wider market applications.
Similarly, noticing the absence of a dedicated IT job portal in my country, I launched one myself. The portal gained traction through strategic Facebook advertising, attracting significant registrations and premium job postings. However, due to my travels and remote work, my focus wavered, and the project was eventually overshadowed by a larger platform that launched a similar service.
After relocating to Colombia, I identified a niche in the dating market among male foreigners and Colombian women. I developed a preliminary website with an email signup feature and collaborated with an Instagram influencer for promotion. The project showed promising initial metrics but was put on hold as my attention shifted, allowing Facebook to capture the market with a new dating feature initially exclusive to Colombia.
Reflecting on advice from a university professor about seizing the vibrancy of youth to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors, I now understand the profound implications of his words. Over the years, I have learned that successful entrepreneurship extends beyond mere idea generation and MVP development. It requires perseverance, networking, a deep understanding of market-testing methodologies, and the ability to adapt and scale a business.
As I embark on a more structured learning path to refine these skills, I have enrolled in various courses focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, and marketing offered by Harvard Business School Online and other platforms. These resources are designed to provide the knowledge and tools necessary for launching and sustaining successful ventures.
In pursuit of a more independent route, I am aligning myself with the indie hacker community, where individuals build and scale businesses single-handedly. This journey promises to be enriching, and I plan to document the process for those interested in this entrepreneurial approach.
Resources:
@levelsio
