Entrepreneurship vs Employment
E: When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in
n pursuit of understanding what keeps some of us in one
your field?
company or industry for so long a time such as more than five
P: The funniest thing and sometimes I think is the most basic. My
years, we got to interview three individuals:
mother, back in those gone years, was very strict with academics
Priscilla (P): Teacher at a private primary school; 45 years old;'O'
Level training, Teacher Training from a teacher's training institute; Work and my siblings and I had to read or face the music. In school, we
were very many in one class and the teacher would not have
Experience of 25 years teaching lower level primary school
enough time for each of us and as a result we had to struggle a lot
Passion: Children
individually. So in my very conventional mind, I decided that when I
grew up, I would be a teacher and I would be very attentive to each
Nicholas (N): Sales Executive at a local motor vehicle dealership; 30
of my students. And look where my dream got me some thirty years
years old; Polytechnic Diploma; Work Experience of 7 years in sales
later. Today, even my worst academic performer stands out from the
dealing with FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), motor
crowd for something that he or she is. May be it's the sporting skill,
vehicles
Passion: Speed and making money!
or ability to memorize things, that gets them into an acting level at
Susan (S): 3-Star Hotel Manager; 29 years old; College higher diploma; the drama club, or a beautiful face and voice that get them on stage
to entertain during events. You see, I purposed to teach lower
Work Experience of 4 years working in the hotel industry. Same
primary, because they are such impressionable minds and if I can
employer since graduation
challenge them to be great at that tender age, then I know, going by
Passion: Satisfied customers!
statistics, that only a negligible percentage will fail me. When I see
my students today, I remember the child that I was and I work with
The interviewees requested that their photos are not used during this
an adult mind fitting into those shoes - it is the most humbling
interview and so we substituted them with modeled pictures.
experience.
N: I wouldn't say that I planned my career. I actually studied to be a
E: How much has your career impacted upon your life?
mechanical engineer because I loved messing around with engines
P: I have worked as a teacher for the past 25 years. My work is my life
and my life is basically my work. I eat, sleep and drink teaching. I find it and motors and all that; however, when I was in college, I always
wanted to have some extra cash so I found myself a job at a certain
the noblest career on the planet.
boutique and I was asked to sell cosmetics to ladies. (He smiles
N: My job has increased my knowledge of people of different
cheekily with tongue in cheek) You guys sure are in a class of your
characters, my network of acquaintances and friends has continued to
grow everyday and for sure I can say, it is an endless sea of knowledge own when it comes to choosing!
E: Well, you know, ladies, we want the best, so we take our time to
out there. A good sales person is one who is blest with the gift of garb.
Combine that with the virtue of truth and honesty and he or she can sell choose the best.
N: No mistake! So anyway, I learnt so that I wouldn’t lie and appear
anything. That's me and that's what my job has cut me out to be
unknowledgeable about what I was selling. It was a tough one, but
S: A lot! My career has done a great deal for my naivety, if I may call it
not tougher than a brother who needed to get to the top of the
that. I have greatly come to appreciate that everyday is a new day to
ladder. I love people and talking to them is a part of sales.
learn and the worst thing I can do is approach issues, people,
Unfortunately, life started going downhill after my parent's couldn't
circumstances and our environment with a slow and closed mind.
Attitude/ mindset is the greatest hindrance to personal development but pay fees for me any more. I had to get serious with life and when I
realized that my hobby was earning me more than my academic
it is also the greatest asset in succeeding to unbelievable heights of
certificate would, a light bulb lit in my head. I decided to finish the
success.
Mechanical Engineering course and in the working world, combined
E: What is the most fulfilling part of what you do for a living?
it with my love for people. And here I am, after a brief sales and
P: Let me first put it across that no one in this world will ever come to
you and say, “Hi, here is your fulfillment reaped from the good work that marketing course. By no means am I wealthy and rich from this
you have done!” Not even the mother who gave birth to you will ever do employment, but I love every minute of it.
S: I didn't do very well in school, I have to admit that except in
that. As an individual, you have to find that out for yourself and believe
me, it cannot be limited to one thing only. By thing here am referring not English and Home Science. I was also very good at public speaking
but through our education system, these were not exactly the
only to the physical but to even emotional, psychological, social and
courses your parents wanted to hear you are successful at. If it
much more. My fulfillment is in seeing an otherwise feeble mind, pick
wasn't the sciences then it was mathematics and vice versa. So
up on their performance and develop it to great heights. I also derive
when I finished school and my father was through with being
great fulfillment when I am walking in town or in the market and I meet
disappointed, he agreed to pay for a hotel management course. I
with one of my former students who I may not know because the last I
then went into internship at sev \