Boomer Career : Make Your Dreams Come True
with Entrepreneurship , Diversity and Inclusion
By Barbara Penn-Atkins
One of the greatest and most rewarding occupations one can choose in life is that of an Entrepreneur . Regardless of age , owning , operating and growing a business is a unique experience . It is unique in that the entrepreneur ’ s personal values becomes part of the newly created entity ’ s vision and mission statement of integrity , humility , service , principles and standards are on display to the public . Day-to-day work charts a path for continuous learning ; one that challenges the mind and manifest dreams , stimulates the heart and fulfills personal passion for creativity and innovation . Entrepreneurship becomes a true reality when the business can provide jobs and develop other people through commitment of leadership , team building and making a difference especially when the enterprise itself becomes a corporate citizen in the community it serves .
What is it that attract people to pursue entrepreneurship ? A few advantages may include :
� Desire to be their own boss , build equity , achieve greater personal and financial goals . � Identify needs and fill them . � Create products , serve people and ultimately make a profit . � Be the designer of systems and procedures to guide the growth of the business . � Create opportunities to contribute to the community and economy .
At some point in the life of entrepreneurs , the business owner might reflect on the quote from Charles Dickens ’ Tale of Two Cities – It was the ‘ best of times and the worst of times ’ as they venture onto a visionary journey of providing products and services to customers . There is something mystical and exciting about the fulfillment of dreams and meaning of entrepreneurship as it relates to creating an entity and growing it into an empire . Notwithstanding that becoming an entrepreneur can also be very scary especially when SBA statistics reports that 95 % of startup businesses fail within the first five years .
I can relate to the mystical and exciting entrepreneurial journey as I ’ ve been on this road for 30 + years as a woman entrepreneur . Endowed with a dream and a passion for providing a product and service and a desire for personal independence , my business venture began at the height of a recession during the best of times and the worst of times . The business economic climate had experienced employee layoffs and downsizing . Staff reductions impacted clerical support and office productivity for