Entrepreneurship may be the purest form of leadership. If leadership adds value by going beyond what is, then entrepreneurs express this tendency at the most essential level. What makes an entrepreneur an effective one? And what do these most effective entrepreneurs have to teach corporate leaders?
While we work with mainly corporate CEOs and senior leaders for the world’s largest companies, I have a soft spot and admiration for these enterprising, risk-stimulated types. Granted, I was an entrepreneur for 25 years, so my bias and appreciation for business creators is no accident.
A massive growth in entrepreneurship is taking place across the U.S. with more than 500,000 becoming business owners every month, according to Vishal Agarwal. Vishal should know, as a venture capitalist he is constantly interacting and advising young founders on the challenges of startup leadership. In addition, Vishal was a former GE executive who can see the distinction between entrepreneurial and corporate leadership.
Vishal Agarwal is the bestselling author of Give to Get: A Senior Leader’s Guide to Navigating Corporate Life, and has studied the dynamics of why some startups succeed and others fail. Interestingly, he sees the most successful entrepreneurs as “servant leaders,” those who serve the enterprise vs. self-serve. He has discerned several key principles that distinguish successful startup leaders.
