Call yourself an entrepreneur?

Call yourself an entrepreneur?

Fascinating research reveals that only 4% of small business owners call themselves entrepreneurs. Yes, just 4%.

A survey of 1,200 business owners, conducted by business software and services provider Sage, found that the vast majority of people on the small business front line feel no connection with the term “entrepreneur”.

The terms “business owner” (53%), “self-employed” (26%) and “businessman/woman” (15%) were the most popular terms people used to describe themselves.

Government enterprise campaigns galore have featured self-proclaimed and charismatic entrepreneurs as role models for those that are thinking of working for themselves. The fact that the word entrepreneur has been shunned by so many might call into question the idea that extraordinary success stories are the best inspiration for ordinary business people.

And TV programmes like The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den are, perhaps, part of the mythologising of the 21^st century entrepreneur. Do you really need to aspire to be a multi-millionaire with a massive media presence to call yourself a entrepreneur? Or are small business owners being too modest in rejecting the term?

What do you think? Do you call yourself an entrepreneur?

Have a look at Sage’s infographic (click to enlarge) on the subject and tell us what you think below.