ENTREPRENEURSHIP & PUBLIC SPEAKING
What I am about to say may not sit well with some people, but hey, pardon my rebellion.
When some people say entrepreneurship is not public speaking, sometimes I understand what they are saying …. but most times, I don’t.
The times that I don’t understand are usually, for example, when someone finishes delivering on stage a well-articulated view on entrepreneurship, business, or its attendant issues only for someone to smirk and goes ahead to mutter:
“Talking is one thing, entrepreneurship is another.”
Hey, hey.. wait a second…
I really don’t get it.
Because planted in the soil of such demeanour is the wrong belief or ideology that both phenomena are always independent variables that shouldn’t be married.
Really?
Okay, this is my stance.
Entrepreneurship is always what it is but young entrepreneurs must learn that it also includes talking, many talking, especially in public.
Go ahead and debate this if you will, but we must learn to develop sweet mouth as young entrepreneurs.
When we begin to build our businesses, we will begin to see what I mean and how urgent it gets.
There is a certain leverage that being able to speak and engage an audience in a logically coherent, emotional, and persuasive manner gives to an entrepreneur.
For me, being able to speak with hypnotic passion and panache in public, on any stage whatsoever, and sway my listeners and tribe is part of building my business and brand and sales.
Public speaking is part of my entrepreneurship and one of the menus for feeding my critical five senses.
So when I mount a stage, the dedication I give to speaking is no different from what I give when I’m preparing official documents for my clients in the office, designing products, reviewing accounts, or brainstorming with my board in the boardroom.
I believe if we grow our ability to be good then great public speakers, it is not a minus to our entrepreneurship.
It is actually a plus – a plus that can actually be monetized and immortalized not only as a direct variant but also as a part of an entire value chain.
Anyway, let me end with the beginning:
I really don’t want to be known as that entrepreneur who can’t speak with power and accuracy in public.
No, I don’t.
About the Author
Chinonso Ogbobu is the Founder, #TheIncubators Africa a pan-African business learning and support ecosystem for young African entrepreneur.