Many people dream about starting their business, but before you make that move it's important to establish whether you are an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur. Do you thrive on high risk or do you prefer the tried and tested path? Being able to recognise your talents and weaknesses can mean the difference between success or failure, excitement or stress.

An entrepreneur can be likened in many ways to an artist. Most of them are in love with the vision and creation of a business - the birth of their 'baby'. They are driven by a need to turn dreams into reality, not necessarily by money. Profits are simply benchmarks by which to measure success.
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Many people say entrepreneurs don't listen, if you are not talking about their business, why should they listen? If it is not about their 'baby', then emotionally it is difficult for them to be interested in any other story, especially during the start up phase when they need money and resources to keep their business alive. At this point, nothing else is important or matters to them. Their interest is in their business. The average attention span of an entrepreneur is about 20 seconds, unless they are focused on their own dreams and goals. People tend to have difficulty saying no to charismatic entrepreneurs when they are presenting their start-ups. Their enthusiasm and passion is addictive and so everyone wants a piece of the excitement and energy.
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It's a well known fact that entrepreneurs usually suffer from multiple marriages as well as multiple start-ups. That's because they become bored easily and thrive on challenge and change. They become very unhappy when they are not coming up with new creations or ideas. Anyone who has worked for an entrepreneur knows not to let them go away for the weekend. When they come back, they will restructure the whole company because they had the weekend to think about new ideas and solutions.

Entrepreneurs tend to be loners who start small and build up using their own capital. They run their business by the seat of their pants and never follow rules. They do what they do best and hire specialists such as lawyers, accountants and bankers to do the rest. They make their own decisions and give the marching orders. They do not want or expect others to make the decision for them. That's why many people say that entrepreneurs are control freaks, but actually they are disciplined, focused and trust their own gut instinct. They frequently have to make assessments in seconds based on feelings or insights because they are sailing in uncharted waters for which there is no map. Other than their dreams and vision, there is no reference book which can provide the solution or tell them what to do. They usually sleep on the problem and hope that an answer will miraculously present itself in the morning.
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In the start-up phase, a venture capitalist thrives on the entrepreneur's passion, energy and vision, but once the company is up and running, they are happier for the visionary to move on and let them run the business. That's because once entrepreneurs achieve a target, they have to set the next one in place otherwise it is easy for them to sabotage themselves. They never stop dreaming, learning and developing new ideas. Once one idea is set in place and making money, they are ready to jump onto the next one.
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This summer in London during meetings with several entrepreneurs, I noticed many similarities. Each of them had created new companies, taken them public and made a lot of money, which in turn attracted new board members and investors to the companies. However, rather than creating and directing new ideas or products, the entrepreneurs were spending most of their time in the boardroom or with the investors. They missed the action of the start-up and the challenge of launching new businesses and became bored. Ultimately they all lost their companies through boardroom brawls. The good news was that they now had the freedom to create new companies, start all over again and get their revenge.
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By contrast, whereas the entrepreneur is the 'franchisor', the intrapreneur is the 'franchisee'. Both are essential for the business community because together they create the future. The intrapreneur typically pulls resources from the family, friends or the corporation. They feel safer having a framework for funding, as well as the necessary emotional and technical support. lntrapreneurs place their dreams within the structure of someone else' s dream. They follow the rules and regulations of the family, company or franchisor to a tee. Their motivation comes from feeling successful and being recognised as such by their friends and peers.
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lntrapreneurs do well within the rigid structures of franchises such as McDonalds, Kall Kwik and Hagen Daaz. These companies provide full training and management systems, leaving the franchisee to pay a fee which is usually based on gross sales. Many franchisors own the land, the building and the equipment while the franchisee owns the product. With a franchise operation, the intrapreneur can get started in a business which has been created by someone else and with much less risk. They feel more comfortable within the structure and boundaries of a ready-made and proven formula.

So are you an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur? In which environment do you feel more comfortable; as a loner or within an established framework? Sometimes experiencing both will provide the answer. In either case, the challenges and excitement are addictive, but the sacrifices may not be worth the price you may end up paying.