116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
How we define startup, entrepreneur, innovation and more
We Create Here was an initiative within the Gazette Company to develop evolving narratives and authentic conversations throughout Iowa's Creative Corridor. read more
[Updated March 2015. Jump to: startup - entrepreneur - innovation - collaboration - intent]
The business world is full of jargon and buzzwords.
The world of startups, entrepreneurship and innovation is no exception.
Consider this chart from Google Books, which shows how often words have appeared in published works over the years:
Take the word "startup." Some people use the term to describe any new venture. Some use it to refer to new businesses in high-tech fields. Some limit its use to high-growth potential businesses, but in any field. Some have even more specific definitions.
If we can't agree on what the words mean, how can we have a constructive, nuanced conversation about the ideas they contain?
While I admit, we do use a few buzzwords ourselves at "We Create Here" (we're prone to referring to our corner of the world as "Iowa's Creative Corridor"), I hope we can cut through some meaningless jargon to have better conversations, together.
In this post, I'll outline what I think these words mean when they appear under my byline. I'll also provide some links and definitions from others who are much more entrenched in these topics than I. This is a working document, and I'd love to hear other definitions and thoughts!
How I use it: A company, usually fairly young, that is searching for a business model with high-growth potential.
From Eric Ries, author of "The Lean Startup:" "A startup is a human institution designed to deliver a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty." In this definition, a company can be a startup regardless of its size, industry or age. [via]
From Steve Blank, serial entrepreneur: "A startup is an organization formed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model." [via]
More from Blank in the video below: "Lifestyle businesses or small businesses are done by normal people. We're the people who are insane. Founders wake up every morning saying, 'I don't just want to be self-employed. I want to take over the universe. I want to change the world.'"
Why do we care? Startups are leading job creators in our economy.
More from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's report titled "Tech Starts:"
For more on why I, personally, am interested in startups and entrepreneurship, visit my intent statement.
Hat tip:
Danny Schreiber and the whole team that helped introduce me to the startup scene when I worked at
How I use it: Someone who is trying to make new and innovative things happen.
From Howard Stevenson, professor emeritus at Harvard Business School: "Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled." [via]
From Jack Dorsey, a founder of Twitter: "You want to see something in the world, and you do whatever it takes to make it exist." [via]
From Blank: Different types of entrepreneurship may include small business entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, scalable startups and large companies. Interestingly, each of these groups tend to see themselves as the "real" entrepreneurs and they sometimes regard the others as imposters. [via]
From Merriam-Webster online: A person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money. [via]
Why do we care? We believe the future vitality of our region will depend on people who are determined to make new things happen here.
While not all entrepreneurs have startups, by my definition, the two concepts are related - see previous discussion on job creation.
Also, because they tend to have really interesting stories.
Hat tip: Andy Stoll and Amanda Styron at Seed Here Studio for introducing me to the concept of social entrepreneurship, and the prominent postings at Vault Coworking and Collaboration Space.
This might be one of the buzzy-est buzzwords out there. Going back to that nifty Google chart, use of "Innovation" dwarfs the other terms:
How I use it: To borrow a famous phrase from a Supreme Court Justice: "I know it when I see it."
Potter Stewart was describing something a bit more risque than business happenings in eastern Iowa, but the sentiment applies. In our rapidly-changing world, where interesting new things are happening in all industries, it's hard to draw a line around what's "innovative" and what's not.
In other words: I'm always looking for stories that have that certain wow factor.
From Merriam-Webster online: a new idea, device, or method; the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods. [via]
How I use it: Together, we can be stronger and smarter than any one of us can be alone. This belief is at the heart of "We Create Here," and we are anxious to explore new ways to collaborate with community members.
From M-W: "To work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor." [via]
How I use it: This is another word that has a specific meaning within the world of "We Create Here." We use "intent" to mean an honest and transparent declaration of a contributor's background and beliefs.
I wrote a draft of my "intent statement" when we begun this journey in October, but I hope my intent will be an ever-evolving state of mind, an honest and open exchange on issues that matter to our region.
From M-W: "the thing that you plan to do or achieve, an aim or purpose; the state of mind with which an act is done." [via]
Those are my definitions of buzzwords I hear often. What did I miss? What words do we need to define or abolish if we want to have more constructive community conversations? Drop me a line: sarah.binder@sourcemedia.net
Daily Newsletters