The Engine of the 21st Century

Bella Akhmadulina—one of my favorite poets once said– “development of the society depends upon the representatives of art: poets, artists, writers, sculptors, and so forth.” Despite my profound respect for this talented and remarkable woman, I dare to disagree.

Development of society depends on entrepreneurs.

I can imagine waves of outrage rising in the hearts of many who read this, but please do not choke on my words! Especially those who come from Eastern European countries—and that part of the continent which is neither Asia nor Europe…Russia.

Entrepreneurs have long been and still are engines of social life. They move our society in certain directions—directions influenced by the values and beliefs these individuals hold.

Why am I so sure of  this? Well let's think together! Entrepreneurs are people who can and must create conditions for people to become writers, artists, scientists. Entrepreneurs are people who by their inexhaustible energy, charisma, temperament, and ability to “move mountains,” are capable of finding talent and resources that enable the development of these individual skills.

It is the entrepreneurs who come up with ideas that simplify our lives - a printer, mobile phone, the curtains in our apartments. It is not necessary that the entrepreneur created these things...but it is necessary that the entrepreneur creates the conditions for inventors of the printer, the mobile phone, or the machine that sews the curtains. The entrepreneur is the thread that the material is made of!  Without the thread there will be no yarn - the fabric would fall apart into small pieces and would cease to hold.

An entrepreneur provides work to people. Work takes up to 80 percent of our lives. Consequently, we live by what the entrepreneur creates. This is one of the most important reasons behind the need for socially oriented entrepreneurs.  Why? Because - we live in what we build! It is our responsibility to build such a society, such a system - where people and human values (honesty, intelligence, respect, morality) are of great importance. And if every entrepreneur—irrespective of the industry or market in which he/she operates—would build his venture on such values, society as a whole could evolve in the same direction.

Now, not only are those who start their own businesses considered to be entrepreneurs! Entrepreneurs can be intrapreneurs which can be found within existing companies, or for example professors! Who can say that a professor who began a program at a university is not an entrepreneur? A person who creates something that never existed before - that is a true representative of our entrepreneurship! 

The Global Entrepreneurship Program is a Masters Program comprised of several talented students who are passionate about entrepreneurial activity.  These students have different cultural and professional backgrounds. They are of different origins and ages. They come from different social and political systems. But what they have in common – is the entrepreneurial blood. “Entrepreneur” is a new nationality of the 21st century, and my contributions to this blog are going to discuss ideas, issues, challenges, latest news and events important to people who love and live entrepreneurship. I will attempt to capture the lives of the students in The Global Entrepreneurship Program and document the trials, tribulations and transformations of these students over the next year.

 So welcome to the World of Entrepreneurship! A wonderful and amazing environment where everything is possible –where we can create the company of our dreams, revolutionize our economies, or better yet–change the world around us in a way that will be written into history.

-Dasha Lyulkovich