Are Entrepreneurs Artists?

I was being interviewed recently by Maria Pascucci from Campus Calm (http://www.campuscalm.com). Maria has a great company that gives students helpful advice about handling stress and personal well-being. She's a fellow Western New Yorker and I am a big fan of hers.

Her interview of me was for a book that she is writing. Her goal was to obtain some my "pearls of wisdom" as far as what makes a person happy. She must know that rarely is there a happier person than a successful entrepreneur. :-)

She asked me an awesome question. Its awesomeness didn't hit me until later, but when I started thinking about it, it was the best question I have ever been asked.

She asked, "Are you an artist?"

Having no ability with a paint brush whatsoever, I initially answered no. But then I got what she meant. Maria wanted to know if entrepreneurs consider themselves creative artists in a way that doesn't involve paint.

I thought about it for awhile and then exclaimed “yes!” I told her that she hit it on the head! Yes, I feel like an artist! Business is my canvas and my brush stokes are my readers, employees, customers, ideas, design and more.

Serendipitously, the next week I was reading Small Giants, By Bo Burlingham (http://www.smallgiantsbook.com/) and he wrote about his former boss, Bernie Goldhirsh, the founder of Inc. Magazine (http://www.inc.com), my favorite mag...

In an interview, Bernie described being an entrepreneur as, "...the entrepreneur is like an artist, only business is the medium of his expression. Artists who create art, dance or music contribute so much. This is what the entrepreneur is. He’s like the artist in the business environment, he creates it from nothing, just blank canvas. It’s amazing."

Bernie died a few years ago of a brain tumor. I wish I had got the chance to meet him. Maybe he is with me somehow and that's why I got so excited about Maria's artist question.

See you later. I am going to work on my masterpiece...

~ David “Picasso” Mammano