It's getting to be past 30 years ago that I used to be a writer for what we might (generously!) call "The Entrepreneurial Press."
"Entrepreneurship" is one of those fields where — more often than not — contents do not match the description on the package, metaphorically speaking.
I eventually moved to different pastures, because it's not a good fit for a skeptic... the entire industry is fueled by tall tales and deception. I always found it a bit smarmy...
Maybe that's not fair. There were maybe 10% genuine opportunities for people, and those people did extremely well for themselves, following proven approaches.
The problem is that we live in a world where the majority who are drawn to "income opportunities" are actually looking for "money for nothing," aka Castles in the Air. Including many cryptoholics.
If you think about it, maybe that's not so strange. A marketing pitch along the lines of "If you work your fingers to the bone 24/7/365 you MIGHT make a modest income in 2-3 years!" is hardly an appealing marketing pitch!
One of the things I found the most alarming is just how many project founders were borderline nutjobs who somehow convinced themselves (and others) that their "vision" actually existed within the realm of possibility.
Nevermind it required everything to go perfectly, 100% of the time. Nevermind that it was contingent on an economy growing at 10% a year. Nevermind that it was contingent on there being no competition... ever.
It's easy for those of us who like to believe we are "rational and sensible" to immediately pull out the "scammer" label and paste it all over everything, but having only a tenuous grip on reality and how the tangible universe actually functions is not scamming, it's more likely mental illness.
I spent some years pondering why the entrepreneurial field drew so many fringe-dwelling dreamers... and could only conclude that it was related to the fact that "realists" don't start risky businesses, they go to work for accounting and engineering firms with proven track records. Or they build houses. Or grow vegetables.
Anyways, these various "schemes" often came crashing down hard, with their founders insisting that "everything was under control" even as things we're clearly on fire.
The fact that you just found a bucket in the broom closet is not going to keep the Titanic from sinking! Doesn't matter that the bucket is gold plated.
Of course, the problem is that same, regardless of whether you're a business opportunity," or an investment or something else: Most likely you'll have to inflate the potential success of what you're proposing, in order to get people interested. Or, at least, to get them to listen to you.
And that soon enough becomes a really tough row to hoe: You're making promises you can only keep under ideal conditions and we all know that life tends to be far from ideal!
A few weeks/months later, the first small "unexpcted thing" happens, and the wheels fall off the cart... and the beginning of the end has arrived.
The biggest challenge in investing or business isn't necessarily coming up with a solid plan, it is selling that plan honestly and still being able to draw in people.
Many a good idea has fallen by the wayside because it was not exciting enough.
Think about how sad that actually is, for a moment...
But the Castles in the AIR will fall down. What's a cat to do?
Feel free to leave a comment — this IS "social" media, after all!
As always, a 10% 