Our society has relied on the concept of entrepreneurship for thousands of years, bringing innovations to the world and building economies. The entrepreneurial spirit has become a key component of a successful capitalist economy. As a result, President Obama designated November as National Entrepreneurship Month in 2011. A key objective of this initiative was to unlock access to capital for entrepreneurs and expand mentorship opportunities.
What are your plans for celebrating National Entrepreneurship Month? Here are 11 ways you can celebrate this November in case you’re stuck for ideas!
1. Support With a Purchase
National Entrepreneurship Month is best celebrated by purchasing something from an entrepreneur. Listed below are some ways you can support entrepreneurs you know and celebrate entrepreneurship.
You can support small businesses in your town or city by shopping there.
For example, you can participate in Small Business Saturday — which is held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. By doing so, you can send the message to others to support small businesses during the holiday season — and all year long, for that matter.
Other calendar entries to add support entrepreneurs this November include:
During the second week of November, Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrates entrepreneurship and innovation around the world
Taking place on the third Tuesday of November, National Entrepreneur’s Day honors those who have built empires out of nothing.
Every year on November 19, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) celebrates and discusses the work of women entrepreneurs.
Don’t just look for products to purchase; look for services that you need as well.
Whether you need bookkeeping or business coaching, you can find many qualified service-based entrepreneurs. There are many websites and resources where you can find service providers, such as Yelp, Thumbtack, UpWork, and LinkedIn. Using the hashtag you are looking for on social media is another option.
Spread the word.
You can also show your support by recommending that small business or entrepreneur to others after you have purchased a product or service from an entrepreneur.
Additionally, Yelp reviews and Facebook posts can help another entrepreneur get some extra business for just a few minutes of work.
2. Connect With Entrepreneurs on Social Media
Nowadays, it goes without saying that most entrepreneurs have an online presence and use social media to promote their businesses and themselves. Following an entrepreneur across all social media platforms is a great way to support them.
In order to promote their businesses, most entrepreneurs use at least two or three platforms. You can find your favorite entrepreneurs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn since billions of people use those services.
It’s all about engagement for that entrepreneur, whether you like, share, follow, tweet, or retweet, and social media interaction these days is vital. One of the best things about supporting an entrepreneur on social media is that it doesn’t cost you a dime.
3. Patronize Crowdfunding Campaigns
Consider looking at Kickstarter or another crowdfunding website after supporting a few entrepreneurs in your life. Kickstarter launched many household names, including Exploding Kittens, Tile, Fidget Cube, the Coolest Cooler, and Occulus. The incredible innovations you’ll find in need of modest startup funding are always a surprise. Kickstarter’s Happening newsletter will keep you up to date on cool new products.
More than 228,000 projects have been funded on the platform, which represents early money and demand for numerous startups. In terms of creative vision support, crowdfunding is probably the easiest method.
4. Start Your Own Business
Has starting your own business what you’ve always dreamed about? This month, make a leap!
As a new entrepreneur, you should feel empowered by the resources available and the power of social media. It is only by betting on yourself that you can achieve your dreams.
Obviously, this is easier said than done. Thankfully, the following guides might make it easier to finally take the plunge.
As an entrepreneur, mentor a new entrepreneur who is just starting out. Perhaps some of the knowledge you’ve picked up over the years will be of value to them, even if you think you don’t have much to share.
Your lessons learned along the way can be shared with them, and they might be able to learn from you as well! You can always talk to a friend who is attempting a similar endeavor if all else fails, for support, venting, and bouncing ideas off of them.
Well, you might want to rethink your definition of mentorship. You can, for example, participate in short-term mentorships where you only need to provide advice for a few weeks or months. Additionally, there are opportunities for groups, networking, and reverse mentoring. You can also arrange virtual meetings by phone, email, or webcam instead of meeting in person.
Another idea would be to get creative with your time, like texting your mentee while on the road. Or, you could create and share with them Word docs, FAQ pages, Wikis, or instructional videos.
6. Take Up Teaching
Learn how to teach small business basics to your chamber of commerce by volunteering to help college students with their interview skills. As well as assisting others, you will gain knowledge for yourself as well. It can transform your approach to your own business when you determine how to teach something you know well.
Contact your local congress members and ask them to introduce or support legislation that will help entrepreneurs. You could ask them to defer tax liability for founders during the first few years of business, increase government funding for R&D, or create entrepreneur visas.
Alternatively, you could ask Congress to pass H. Res 511, which would recognize National Entrepreneurs’ Day as an official holiday rather than just a proclamation from the president. However, if you are only going to write one letter, that visa issue probably takes precedence.
8. Attend a Conference
By attending industry conferences and events, you can connect with your peers, find partners, close deals, and rediscover your passion. You can also refocus on the big picture by getting out of your daily routine for a day or two and focusing on the bigger picture instead of getting distracted by the everyday details.
To find out about upcoming events, check industry or entrepreneur-focused publications. Of course, you should do this sooner than later. So, November would be great to start scouting events for the following year. Doing so allows you to block these conferences in your calendar so that you can plan accordingly.
9. Make an Introduction
There is a need for office space for startups. As well as marketing, materials, and advice. But that’s not all. Additionally, they need workers, beta testers, and, most importantly, customers.
You should be generous with your network if you know an entrepreneur and someone who may be able to help him. Make them meet up. It might be a win-win situation.
10. Join (or Start) an Angel Network
Despite the popularity of venture capital, angel money backs more startups–roughly 64,000 each year, according to the Angel Capital Association. The companies receiving angel investments are typically much younger than those receiving venture capital, so it could make the difference between success and failure.
Of course, there are certain people who should not invest in angels, and it is better to do so in a group. If you have the funds and the risk profile, then it may be worth looking into.
It is important to thank your mentor, if you have one, for the guidance and support they provide. Send them a thank you card or take them to lunch as an extra special gesture. As well as being grateful for the lessons you’ve learned the hard way, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the success you’ve tasted, you should be thankful for the lessons you’ve learned the hard way.
It’s a long road to travel for entrepreneurs. It is worth it, however, in the end.
