Is being an entrepreneur better than being an employee?

Absolutely not. Not even remotely so.

One of the greatest challenges society has today is this perpetuation of an idea that startups are better, entrepreneurs are cool, and being a founder is the ideal. Shows like Shark Tank, Silicon Valley, and StartUp, have sensationalized the idea that we can (and should) all live that life and that despite the challenges presented in that particularly season, we’ll all be famous if we just try.

And it’s complete and utter horse crap.

Being an entrepreneur is one of the most stressful, difficult, and troubling career choices one can make. You will fail. You will lose money. It’s not even a question of IF or MIGHT - you will. That’s the job of an entrepreneur.

Notice for a moment if you will that no entrepreneur, in the history of entrepreneurs, is a success because of themselves. EVERY new venture is a result of a team. No founder can succeed without employees. Startups don’t exist without people who want to work for them.

Some of the most detrimental startup programs in society today are the ones that sell the ideal that we all can; that we can all quit our jobs and become entrepreneurs. That’s nothing more than selling a dream to people who can and will pay for the experience of doing just that. No one in their right mind quits their established, paying, recognized job so that they can risk everything to start something with a 90% likelihood of failing.

You see, entrepreneurs play that role. Think of the cowboy, the oil rig worker, or ER doctors… those are the jobs sensationalized on TV because they have a story to which we aspire. We all love the drama, the narrative, and the ups and downs of those professionals who we can watch from afar. But day to day? Cowboys suffer alone, oil rig workers fight high risk jobs, and ER doctors watch people die. And none of them exist without the people on who’s backs the economy is actually built.

Look, even if you think I’m being harsh about founder, startup programs that inspire entrepreneurs, and the idea that we can start something… I don’t care because I know from experience that none of that is possible without employees. None of what entrepreneurs might accomplish is possible without the people who work their ass off for little more reward than personal satisfaction, to the benefit of founders; employees are the heroes.

Employees are the heroes. Employees provide the opportunity for some to risk everything so that everyone might find a little bit better life.