Genuineness, uniqueness and newness (GUN)

“Shoot your shot”

Set the pace! Lead the way! Blaze a trail!

Without ignition, there’s no recognition.

Compete with the competent!

ENTREPRENEURSHIP is a spirit; leadership is its soul while society is its body. Without the spirit, the body is dead!

I pray that as you read this article, you will discover the fullness of your creative energy in God and express His very heartbeat to the world around you. Whether you are a carpenter or car painter, think creatively and compete with the competent. Whether you are a chef, comedian or chorister, think outside of the prescribed formulas and be genuinely unique.

“An entrepreneur is a person with a high need for achievement. He is energetic and a moderate risk taker.” – David McClleland.

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” – Mary Lou Cook.

Like astronomers studying the evolution of stars, or biologists studying the evolution of species, the world is waiting to study the evolution of contemporary astronomers, biologists, artists, scientists, inventors and innovators, that would set the pace, lead the way and blaze a trail in their generation. Believing in yourself is an endless destination. Life is a beautiful journey of self-discovery. When it comes to record breaking, the possibilities are endless. Whether it is a brand marketing activation, new product launch, driving digital engagement, or uniting a community behind an important cause, creativity is at the heart of it all. Whether it is a logo that captures the essence of a brand, a product design that revolutionises an industry or a user interface that makes software a joy to use, creativity is at the heart of it all.

On the one extreme, entrepreneurship is about undertaking responsibilities. On the other extreme, entrepreneurship is about overtaking possibilities. My greatest motivation comes from studying achievers and successful entrepreneurs. I have observed that most entrepreneurs are usually on a mission to innovate and disrupt the norm. Innovation is the specific function of entrepreneurship. It is the ability to apply creative solutions to problems and opportunities to enhance or to enrich people’s lives. The three pillars of innovation are creativity, necessity and sustainability. Many scholars and governmental organisations have given their own definitions of the concept. Some common element in the different definitions is a focus on newness, improvement and spread. From conceptualisation to commercialisation, an entrepreneur thinks creatively and acts strategically. From ideation to implementation, a creative idea evolves and revolves around an entrepreneur’s resolve to innovate. Entrepreneurship is not just about having a plan, it is about ‘behaving’ the plan. According to Joseph Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is an innovator who desires to earn profit through innovation. An entrepreneur is neither technical man nor a capitalist but simply an innovator. He introduces something new in the economy. He is motivated by establishing his psychological power.

Sir Hugh Eyre Campbell Beaver was a typical innovator. He was an English-South African civil engineer, industrialist and bureaucrat. He founded the Guinness World Records. He was Director-General of the Ministry of Works and Managing Director at Guinness Brewery. Guinness World Records, known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. The brainchild of Sir Hugh Beaver, the book was co-founded by twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter in Fleet Street, London, in August 1955.

The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of the 2022 edition, it is now in its 67th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 23 languages and maintains over 53,000 records in its database.

The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. The organisation employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records. (Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Without ignition, there is no recognition. Anyone with a heartfelt dream and a determined mindset can be recognized by a world-renowned authority. The world is waiting for your authenticity (creativity, originality, reality and experience). What are you creating? What ideas are you introducing to the world? What will you be remembered for? There are many prolific record holders in the Guinness World Records (GWR) archives. But none of their achievements quite match those of title holder Ashrita Furman, from Brooklyn, New York, who has become famous as the man with the most Guinness World Records titles. The goal should not just be to become famous for setting and breaking a world record, the ultimate focus should be to think like the founders of the World Records titles. Entrepreneurship is all about taking your ideas from indoors into industry and turning a creative idea into a lucrative business opportunity. Move from concept to commerce. Create something that will in turn create opportunities for people. If you can’t create products, create platforms. Be creative; break rules and also break records. Just do it!

The place of vision cannot be overemphasised in entrepreneurship. Innovation is not enough as everything rises and falls on leadership. Leadership is about vision. “Innovision” should become the parlance of an entrepreneur if he must successfully start and sustain an entrepreneurial undertaking. A leader may lack innovation but could hire someone who is innovative to play a complementary role. In the same vein, an entrepreneur (innovator) may lack vision but could as well hire someone who is visionary to complement his role. Never say never; envision possibilities and set aside your limiting beliefs as well as old paradigms. Just do it!

“I see potential in you, make it kinetic! Your gift is your lift, stay lifted!” – thinkUP

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