It’s Entrepreneur Day 2023. So, what do you have to celebrate?

Let’s be honest: true entrepreneurs are probably unaware that today is ?“National Entrepreneurship Day”. All these “day of this, day of that” sound far too institutional. Almost corporate, even. A true #entrepreneur is not defined by slogans. Instead, they are focused on the ultimate result, striving for survival at every turn.

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There are two typical reasons why people become entrepreneurs. Most of them don’t fit in with established, process-oriented #corporate and #institutional environments (either because they're rejected or repelled). Starting their own business or joining similar outsiders is often the last resort for these types of people. They must implement their own #vision because they cannot be happy marching to orders they don’t agree with. They are wild fish who prefer a cold, open, shark-filled ocean to a safe, warm aquarium. They are nails that stick out, asking to be hammered in. They say that they need to be excited more than be fed — but in reality, they need to be excited to earn their bread. Yet unfortunately, in some cases, #startup s attract the wrong type of people, those who would rather be in a big company but had to join a team of dreamers because, for whatever reason, a more stable environment did not accept them. These people are a high risk for an otherwise enthusiastic team.

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Another type of startup founder is the super-employable (or even currently employed) #expert who seeks to add something more significant to their life than what a safe haven has to offer. Still, they know that if a startup fails, it is not their last resort. A combination of these two types usually produces the best results. Together, these people build their fine-tuned subcultures, microcosms, and the world they lack anywhere else.

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Some people say entrepreneurship in the US and Europe is entering a tough period. I think, however, we are going through a #correction. Lately, some prestigious universities and their de-facto affiliated VCs have formed oligopolies. For example, some VC funds would rather exclusively fund startups commercializing inventions from these schools instead of adopting a purely meritocratic approach to investment prospects. These #oligopolies collectively formed a new “innovative aristocracy” with preferential access to capital. This, in turn, inevitably created a situation in which actual entrepreneurial types could not compete with less entrepreneurial protégés of the suitable stratum.

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Now, times are tough, and valuations are down. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Israel make innovation necessary to survive. Also, public health challenges offer the most reliable form of demand possible: the ever-present quest to delay death and minimize suffering. The reality check is back; one cannot BS bullets, nor metastasis. Combined, this clears the road for true entrepreneurs, who are, perhaps, unaware that today is National #EntrepreneurDay. Which, in my opinion, is something to celebrate.