Entrepreneurship is the word on everyone’s lips these days, everyone talks about it like they know what it’s all about. As a test, when you hear entrepreneurship, what comes to your mind?
Billions of dollars in your bank account? Freedom from work if you so desire? Or living the life that most can only dream of? While these are some of the gains of entrepreneurship, they are very far from being the aim! Let’s see why.
Value. Value.. Value…
Yes, creating value is the chief aim of entrepreneurship! Surprised?
Think of some of the great products around – Facebook, Whatsapp, Google, Samsung, Iphone, DSTV, Indomie Noodles, Coca Cola. If they did not satisfy your needs in anyway, would you spend your money purchasing them, or time using them, thereby enriching its creators? I am sure you would answer No!
Besides, Mark Zuckerberg and Aliko Dangote did not get all that billions in one day, they did because they succeeded in continuously creating value, and it is this desire to create value that kept them going even in the face of challenges, difficulties, and when they had nothing.
Revenue vs. Value
While it is true that revenue, that is money, is needed to keep businesses running; the fact remains that successful entrepreneurs do not ask: “How do I get more revenue?” rather, they ask “How do I create more value?” Because they know that creating more value will invariably lead to more revenue, it’s like 1+ 1 = 2.
Isn’t this the reason why Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg snapped up Whatsapp, Instagram, and Oculus Rift, with more to follow?
Hence, always focus on creating value, it is the only path to long-term success. This principle is the same with all successful entrepreneurs – Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola – they made huge income from bringing a tremendous amount of value to the marketplace.
In other words, bring enough value to the market and everything else — yes, even the money — follows thereafter. Create value, and you can change the world!