I work with a lot of startups and to me, one of the most fascinating journeys of personal growth to watch is the transition from corporate employee to entrepreneur. While there are many who believe that "entrepreneurs are born not made" and that an entrepreneurial personality is completely antithetical to being a good corporate employee, my experience, supported by a 2009 Kauffman Foundation study(1), has been that this distinction is not so cut and dried.
According to the Kauffman Foundation study, there are two types of entrepreneurs. The first, whom they label "early entrepreneurs" fits the classic Silicon Valley stereotype: college educated, twenty-something single male who may or may not have graduated, technically oriented, iconoclast with a strong independent streak (e.g. Bill Gates, Larry Page).
However, the second more typical entrepreneur is a 40-year old married male with children. About half had over ten years industry experience working for other companies before starting their first company. Nearly half had either zero or negative entrepreneurial aspirations. The majority were good students in high school and college with 95% of these holding at least a Bachelor's degree and 47% holding an advanced degree. In short, these were people who fit the mold and in many cases performed well as corporate employees. So it is possible to become an entrepreneur after having a corporate background.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Thrice Around the Block: The Employee to Entrepreneur Transition
