European Entrepreneurs miss… selling lemonade

Posted on August 17, 2008

I’m reading a very interesting article on Entrepreneurship in Europe, called “Europe desperately lacking ‘positive entrepreneurship culture’ “. The main idea of the article is “the EU must work towards changing its attitudes towards entrepreneurship and create a positive culture which encourages people to take risks,” and the positions presented are quite interesting:

EU Education Commissioner Ján Figel’ said: “We need to promote creative thinking in kids’ minds, teach them ability to learn, sense of initiative and capacity to take responsibility to turn ideas into action.”

Matti Heikkonen, chair of the Finnish software entrepreneurs’ association argued instead that: “entrepreneurship is not an educational issue. “You can’t teach a person how to become an entrepreneur,”" and had the idea that as you get more educated you realize more the risks involved in entrepreneurship: “most entrepreneurs are not those with the highest university qualifications and perfect diplomas, precisely because the better qualified the person, the more risks linked with turning ideas into action he or she will see. Entrepreneurs are often generalists who have dropped out from university, who just have an idea they want to realize and go for it, without spending time calculating risks and fearing failure.” he sees a role for the education system in helping “to change attitudes towards entrepreneurship in general and to show both success stories and failures”

Asked whether future global leaders and entrepreneurs are born or made, the president of Microsoft International, Jean-Philippe Courtois, said successful entrepreneurs are immediately ambitious, with the drive to go global from the start. “They take risks, have failed before and are good at attracting talented scientists and other people around them.”

Talking about financing, investing, Mr. Peter Jungen, co-president of the SME UNION, “angel investor”, said that business angels invested some €24 billion in the US and only 200-300 million in Europe.

Thing is that in the same time I was reading an US article on “Young entrepreneurs sell lemonade to raise money for party” - The Blue Buddies Class at Childcare Network at 4225 Brambleton Avenue were excited about selling lemonade, especially Victoria Barefoot and Jennifer Asbury members of the Blue Buddies Class for ages 5 and 6. Rod McGough, teacher of the Blue Buddies class and his assistant Brittany Loyd, use the lemonade stand as a way to teach the children how to county money.

I think most European Entrepreneurs miss… selling lemonade while being children. Selling lemonade gives you the feeling that you can go out there and do money if that’s what you want. Opportunities are around and just wait for someone to start-up.

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