Who Gets to Be an Entrepreneur?
Francie Jain
Podcast Episode 283
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said enough:
Most entrepreneurs don’t start out feeling confident, certain, or destined for greatness.
Despite what headlines, Instagram bios, and business media love to sell us, entrepreneurship is rarely some magical calling reserved for the chosen few.
In my conversation with Francie Jain, we dug into one of the biggest lies floating around the business world, the idea that entrepreneurs are somehow born different.
They’re not.
Entrepreneurship often starts with something much simpler:
“I see a better way.”
“I think this should exist.”
“There has to be another option.”
That’s it.
Not genius. Not destiny. Not some mystical gene.
The Comparison Trap Nobody Talks About
One of my favourite parts of this conversation was around success and numbers, because this is where entrepreneurs quietly torture themselves.
We scroll.
We see someone claiming six figures, seven figures, explosive growth, overnight success.
And suddenly our own business feels behind.
But here’s the problem:
You have no idea what number you’re comparing yourself to.
Revenue?
Profit?
Investor money?
Gross sales?
Net income?
A business can generate six figures and still be losing money.
A business can look wildly successful online and be financially stressed behind the scenes.
This is why I constantly remind my clients:
Ignore numbers you can’t see “on paper”.
Not because people are lying but because numbers without context are meaningless.
Growth Mindset (Without the Cheesy Posters)
Growth mindset has become one of those buzzwords that risks losing all meaning.
But stripped of fluff, it’s actually incredibly practical.
Growth mindset is simply this:
Mistakes = Data
Feedback = Information
Failure = Education
Not personal attacks.
Not proof you’re bad at business.
Not a reason to quit.
Just data.
Francie shared a brilliant perspective, lowering your ego enough to treat every experience as a learning opportunity instead of a verdict on your abilities.
Simple idea.
Hard practice.
Game-changing results.
“Stop Hearing What I Didn’t Say”
One of my favourite reflections from the episode came from a completely unexpected place.
A friend’s autistic son once said something that permanently changed how I process feedback:
“Stop hearing what I didn’t say?”
Read that again.
How often do we assign meaning, tone, criticism, or judgment that was never actually spoken?
Someone points out a mistake → We hear “You’re failing.”
Someone gives feedback → We hear “You’re not good enough.”
Someone questions something → We hear “I don’t respect you.”
When in reality?
They just said the words they said.
No hidden drama required.
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
Entrepreneurship easily slides into scarcity thinking:
There’s only so much success.
Only so many clients.
Only so much money.
But business simply doesn’t work like a fixed pie.
Helping others doesn’t shrink your opportunity.
Collaborating doesn’t weaken your position.
Supporting other entrepreneurs doesn’t delay your growth.
In fact, the opposite is often true.
The more we operate from contribution, connection, and shared growth, the easier business becomes.
Less pressure.
Less comparison.
More momentum.
Final Thought
Entrepreneurship isn’t about being fearless, flawless, or permanently confident.
It’s about being willing.
Willing to experiment.
Willing to learn.
Willing to adjust.
Willing to keep moving.
And maybe most importantly…
Willing to stop measuring your progress against incomplete information.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciejain
Website: https://terawatt.co/
- being an entrepreneur is for everyone
- growth mindset is the path to success, and it can be learned
- it’s more fun to be a “rising tide lifts all boats” person
