"I don't think anyone decides to be an entrepreneur; they simply reach the point where they can no longer not be an entrepreneur. Sure, it takes a certain type of individual and certain set of circumstances, but suddenly you have this sense of unwavering commitment and the belief that you can succeed.
That sense is what I refer to as the yin and yang of the entrepreneur: the perfect balance of arrogance and stupidity. Starting a business (and surviving) is really, really hard. You have to have the confidence that you can actually do it, and the stupidity to think you're right.
Being an entrepreneur is not about love at first sight; it's about having an idea that intrigues you and increasingly pulls you In until you can no longer ignore it.
For me, it was on Valentine's Day in 2002 when I came home and told my wife that I was starting Emmi Solutions. I had resigned from my current company, had a limited amount of health insurance, no salary for the foreseeable future, no office, no investors, no customers, nothing. (I still don't know if her enthusiasm was dampened because it was Valentine's Day, or because she was six months pregnant with our second child, or because she didn't understand the subtle nuances of the healthcare industry.)
Entrepreneurs may blindly follow their passion but they are certainly not dumb. They choose to downplay the risks, underestimate the competition, and overestimate their talents because they are driven by an overwhelming curiosity.
That commitment and passion is really what makes entrepreneurs who they are. Great ideas are far more common than you think but the people who can turn the great idea into a company are incredibly rare.
When those two abilities come together... that's the magic catalyst."
Jordan Dolin, co-founder of Emmi Solutions
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