An Thing Will Do

Personal Reflections paper: Joseph Beatty

The article Global Heroes really didn’t affect my opinions about the business world, as I mentioned in class, because of the book The World is Flat. It did however help to reinforce some of the ideas I hold about the good that business can do. However, I found this article extremely satisfying to read.

The theme that struck a chord with me that both works addressed is the good that an economy which encourages entrepreneurship can generate. I also found it interesting that each culture reacts differently to the effects of entrepreneurialism. Being that I have taken keen interest in reading lately and that I am looking for some sort of positive confirmation regarding my pursuit of this degree, this paper was encouraging because it breaks down myths about entrepreneurs and the social effects that result from their pursuits. It is to the area of social entrepreneurialism that I feel myself gravitating towards, wanting to focus my efforts on the positive effects that business can create.

The myths regarding the types of people that are successful as entrepreneurs was particularly intriguing. The first being that these people are misfits is false. I really appreciated this for a number of reasons. Global Heroes points out that those people that are good at socializing are good at business, which comes somewhat as a surprise. Because of the second reason, that in our culture there is the idea that if you are the best then you are idolized and viewed as if your actions that got you there, were taken independently. It says in fact that these people relay heavily on their trusted social networks to achieve goals that would otherwise be beyond themselves.

The break down of the fourth myth, as enumerated in the article, also encourage me to pursue my idea regarding my nursery more fervently. This myth is that entrepreneurs must create something that is wholly new and awe inspiring to the world. The article states that...