Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention. It’s also apparently the mother of entrepreneurship.
The New York Times ran an article last week noting that one of the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs is people aged 55-64. The number of people in that age group who are self-employed has grown 52% from 2000 to 2007. Part of that increase is due to a basic increase in Americans who fit in that age group—percentage-wise, the number of entrepreneurs among the post-55 set has increased a far smaller amount. But part of the increase reflects the increasing number of workers who are being laid off, or are taking pre-emptive buy-outs, and are starting businesses because they can’t find another job.
Just as there are “missionary” and “mercenary” entrepreneurs (missionaries being those with a transformative vision, as opposed to just a good idea to make money), there are also, increasingly, “voluntary” and “necessity” entrepreneurs.
Voluntary entrepreneurs have an advantage, in that someone who chooses an uncharted career path probably has the right personality for the particular challenges involved (income fluctuations and uncertainty, no support organization, delays and frustrations getting critical mass or traction, and having no clear path or “right” solution for how to proceed).
However, as the Times article noted, taking control of your own destiny—especially after an involuntary lay-off—can be incredibly energizing and empowering. [click to continue…]
A few weeks ago, I was introduced to a man named Jeremy Constant, who’d just made the first flight on an experimental airplane he’d built himself. “You know, he’s also the first violinist of the San Francisco symphony,” a man sitting next to me said, as the builder/pilot walked away.
It took a moment for that one to sink in. And even then, I didn’t believe it until I checked with Jeremy himself. What on earth, I wondered, would the first violinist of the San Francisco symphony be doing in a world so distant from the sophistication of Davies Symphony Hall?
In part, my disbelief was the result of a visceral understanding of the work and time involved. Building your own airplane, like building your own house, boat, business, or any other creative and painstaking pursuit, is an impressive achievement. So is being talented and dedicated enough to become the first violinist (actually, assistant concertmaster, Jeremy corrected me later) of one of the leading symphony orchestras in the world.
But accomplishing both of those feats, given how much passion, dedication, time and effort each one of them requires, is kind of amazing. Aviation and music are also very different worlds. It’s not like being a carpenter and building furniture in your spare time. How does someone from such an intense and high center of the music world find himself not only learning to be a pilot, but building his own airplane, as well?
Is there some link that’s not obvious between the worlds? Is there some drive that leads to both ends? Does one passion feed the other, or require the other for balance? Or are there simply those people who are attracted to passionate pursuits, no matter how separate those pursuits might be?
In search of answers to those questions, I tracked Jeremy down, and we spent three delightful hours talking about music, flight, passion, and how to find balance and fulfillment in a life path. I think it’s well worth taking a half hour to enjoy the excerpts of the interview I’ve included here.
A few of the many intriguing points Jeremy makes: [click to continue…]
