The word is broken. And I'm not here to fix it.
There was a time when “entrepreneur” meant something. Vision. Grit. Risk. Building things that didn’t exist before. But in 2025, it feels more like a costume than a calling. It’s become theater. A buzzword. A badge people flash before they’ve actually done the work.
That’s why I’m done with it.
Let’s Get One Thing Straight: I’m Not an Entrepreneur
I get it. On paper, I check all the boxes. Built companies. Launched products. Scaled brands from scratch. But let’s not confuse activity with identity. These days, “entrepreneur” has become a shortcut. It’s a default label for anyone with a Canva logo and a Wi-Fi signal.
And that’s the problem.
Today, the word is more about optics than outcomes. It’s LinkedIn fluff. It’s ring lights, rented Lambos, and 10-second reels selling “how to sell.” It’s branding over building. Style over substance. It’s the punchline to a joke that stopped being funny years ago.
Let me be clear: that’s not me.
The Word Has Lost Its Weight
Entrepreneurship used to be synonymous with risk. With pushing something uphill when everyone else was content to stay at the bottom. With sacrificing comfort for conviction. That kind of work didn’t care about aesthetics. It cared about execution.
Now? It’s hustle porn. Lifestyle content. Performative motivation that gets more likes than results. The term’s been hijacked by people who want the perception of success without the pain required to earn it.
If that’s the game, count me out.
What I Actually Do
I build. I operate. I invest.
I was there when BattlBox ran on duct tape and spreadsheets. I’ve helped brands launch from zero and scale to eight figures without chasing hype. I’ve lived inside businesses where real work happens, where success isn’t manufactured for social media but built brick by brick.
That’s the stuff I care about. What works. What lasts. What’s real.
This Isn’t About Being “Above It”
This isn’t a superiority complex. I’m not allergic to labels. But I care deeply about the right ones. I’m not chasing TEDx stages or fancy acronyms. I don’t need another pitch deck or podcast cameo. I don’t care about going viral.
I care about doing the work… and doing it well.
Builder vs. Entrepreneur: There’s a Difference
A builder wakes up thinking about product, logistics, customer experience, and team health. They’re obsessed with output. They don’t care about headlines or highlights. They care about what ships, what works, and what solves problems.
The modern entrepreneur, as the internet has defined them, is often the opposite. Loud. Shiny. Style-first. Heavy on branding. Light on results.
Builder implies you do something. Entrepreneur too often implies you talk about doing something.
That’s the difference. And that difference matters.
Why It Actually Matters
We’re living in an era of noise. Everyone’s selling. Everyone’s posting. Everyone’s performing. The signal gets buried under spectacle. And if you’re not careful, you start playing the game instead of building the thing.
But noise doesn’t create value. Work does.
So call me a builder. An operator. A partner. Call me whatever you want, just make sure it’s tied to what gets built, not how it’s branded.
To the Aspiring Builders
If you’re early in your journey, here’s something I wish more people said:
You don’t need to brand yourself before you build yourself.
Don’t waste time picking titles.
Pick problems to solve.
Build something useful.
Serve real people.
The rest will take care of itself.
Final Thought
The word “entrepreneur” used to stand for something. Maybe one day it will again. But in the meantime, I’m opting out.
No labels.
No theatre.
No noise.
Just the work.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found this insightful? Here are additional articles worth reading:
0 comments