Mark Leruste dispels the myth of the glamorous entrepreneurial lifestyle, revealing the challenges of loneliness, financial stress, and lack of work-life balance that many entrepreneurs face.
Mark Leruste highlights the deeper yearning for purpose and mission that drives people to pursue entrepreneurship, despite the realities not always matching the perception.
Mark Leruste encourages the audience to find "micro-quests" or smaller, manageable goals as a way to eventually accomplish bigger purposes, emphasizing the importance of starting small.
Meeting Notes:
The Myth of the Entrepreneurial Lifestyle
Mark Leruste discusses the perception of entrepreneurship portrayed on social media, where entrepreneurs seem to be living the "dream" lifestyle - traveling, being their own boss, and achieving massive success. However, Mark Leruste reveals that this is often a facade.
Mark Leruste shares his own experience of quitting a comfortable corporate job to start his own business, only to find it incredibly tough and lonely.
He spends 80% of his time staring at a screen and often doesn't even leave his flat.
Mark Leruste sometimes avoids telling his girlfriend that he hasn't left the flat or washed up.
Mark Leruste highlights the "dirty little secret" that many entrepreneurs struggle with - feelings of loneliness, worry about finances, and stress.
He notes that this is a common experience, with statistics showing that 76% of businesses in the UK are started by sole proprietors, making it a very solitary journey for many.
Despite the challenges, entrepreneurs often feel pressured to maintain a successful image and avoid being vulnerable about their struggles.
The Deeper Yearning for Purpose
Mark Leruste cites a Gallup study showing that 87% of workers worldwide feel emotionally disengaged from their work, indicating a crisis in finding purpose, especially among millennials who are the most purpose-driven generation.
He discusses the historical appeal of adventurous quests, such as 5,000 people responding to Ernest Shackleton's ad for his South Pole expedition in the early 1900s, and 200,000 people registering interest in a one-way trip to Mars in 2013 by a Dutch company.
Mark Leruste argues that this deeper yearning for purpose and a sense of mission or quest is what drives many people to pursue entrepreneurship, even though the reality may not match the perception.
Finding Your Quest, Not Just Your Purpose
Mark Leruste differentiates between a "quest" and a broader "purpose," explaining that a quest can be something smaller and more manageable.
He provides examples of "micro-quests," such as his own attempt to start a drink startup in 7 days while still holding a full-time job, working from 6 AM and making a net profit of only £9, and artist Louis Purtzer's quest to paint 100 pieces of art for 100 people in her life as an expression of gratitude.
Mark Leruste encourages the audience to trust their curiosities and interests, as these can serve as "breadcrumbs" to finding their own quests, even if they seem small or unimportant at first.
He emphasizes the importance of starting small and doing "deceptively small things" as a way to eventually accomplish bigger goals, quoting Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator.
Conclusion
Mark Leruste believes that if everyone had a sense of purpose, even a small one like a quest, the world would be a better place.
He concludes by urging the audience to start pursuing their quests today, rather than waiting for the "perfect" opportunity.