In the middle and by the end of the 20th century when you asked a little boy, what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer you were most likely to hear was an astronaut. What are the most popular answers nowadays? A bank owner and a businessman. The interesting thing is that this idea persists up to adulthood for many of the boys giving such answer. Except after they get a degree, it usually transforms into a more specific and allegedly more realistic goal of becoming a small business owner. But do they really know what it is like to be a businessman? And what appeal does such occupation have for so many young people?
The biggest attraction is complete freedom. Young professionals right out of universities and colleges make their first attempts to enter the career world and become disillusioned having to face the harsh realities of working life. The bright images they had in their mind fade away when they realize that employers want them to work their guts out and will pay them peanuts for it. Now starting your own company seems like the perfectly logical thing to do.
The problem is that full of rosy anticipations they do not take into account the difficulties they have to go through following this career path. They think about the opportunities, but forget about practical considerations. It’s important to keep in mind that courage and initiative are great things, but they are not sufficient to be successful in business.