In the past year I have witnessed a burgeoning of interest on the parts of major cities from Bogota to Cape Town to kick start entrepreneurship. Here are some do's and don'ts for committed leaders, whether you are a private or public sector leader:
-- Be clear that the objective is high aspiration, high ambition, high impact entrepreneurship. Micro-enterprise (what I call employment-substitution) is often necessary for getting food on enough tables in the short run, but it is not real entrepreneurship and does not drive economic development. These are often lumped together in policies and practices but they are very different from each other and require different types of support.
-- Get together a small but powerful coalition of committed leaders representing different parts of the public and private sectors, including successful entrepreneurs, universities, family business, multinationals, domestic companies, and the mayor. Make sure all of you, including but not limited to the mayor, are clear, vocal, and public advocates for entrepreneurship. Invite the national government to have a seat at the table, but don't rely on them for support or guidance or expect them to do the job. Do make sure this coalition will do everything possible to make change.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Daniel Isenberg: City Leader: Kick-Start Entrepreneurship in Your City Now
Author: Daniel Isenberg
