Comments on: Let’s appreciate our internet entrepreneurs

By: Renee Lee

Renee Lee — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:27:17 +0000

Here’s to greater recognition and appreciation for those giving it a go. It’s vital if entrepreneurship is to flourish and inspire the next generation.

By: Julian

Julian — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:06:19 +0000

re: “Oh but I forgot…. actually building a business that is modest but sustainable, under-the-radar but profitable, ambitious but not arrogant isn’t at all sexy these days…”

- Sexy fades, substance remains… Julian

By: Ben Young

Ben Young — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:09:25 +0000

I completely agree – I think we need to award those giving it a go. If all we ever do is award those that ‘have made it’ then knock them when they hit a speed bump how can we expect a prosperous entrepreneurial environment. Also doing so gives the subjects a real boost… which every entrepreneur needs at some stage.

By: Ben Kepes

Ben Kepes — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:21:32 +0000

Your arguments Lance could be extended further. In New Zealand current policy seems to be to pick a select bunch of winners, hoping they’ll be the next F&P, Icebreaker or Rakon. While this is an understandable and attractive option, allowing as it does for focused rather than broad scale funding and support, it totally misses the point that;

a) success often happens to outliers
b) Regardless of a) the fact is that if we create a handful of mega successful players in this country, we ultimately become a development house for multinationals who will invariably snap up the winners and shift them, their employees and their tax dollar generation, overseas.

The wording of the aware reflect the attitude, misguided in my mind, that prevails in this country. It’s the old “build 10, billion dollar comapanies” strategy that is inherently flawed. Much more sustainable is to pick the 1000 (or for that matter 10000) players who will scale to $10mill and in doing so likely remain domestically owned and keep contributing by way of tax and employment.

Oh but I forgot…. actually building a business that is modest but sustainable, under-the-radar but profitable, ambitious but not arrogant isn’t at all sexy these days…