Entrepreneurship is a Vessel

He's moving swiftly through the showroom, almost as if he's about to break into a sprint. Cars are lined up perfectly on either side of him. One of the salespeople has just informed him that the customers who bought one of the new models last week are waiting at the front entrance. These new cars boast something revolutionary: an embedded screen on the back of the front seat’s headrest. Now, passengers in the back can enjoy movies or even play video games during the drive. It's a dream come true for parents looking to keep their children entertained on long trips. At least, it would be, if one of the screens hadn’t malfunctioned.

He meets the displeased customers at the building’s entrance and invites them to sit down at a table near the café. He asks what they’d like to drink. "Coffee," they say. After the first sip and some friendly small talk, their expressions soften. He assures them the screens will be fixed in no time. They chat for another fifteen minutes, during which the couple mentions their plans to drive to Italy for vacation and their daughter’s love of cartoons. A woman approaches the table and informs them their car is now fixed, filled to the brim with gas, and thoroughly cleaned—free of charge. The couple can hardly believe it. But what makes their eyes almost fall out of their sockets is that the man hands them a VHS tape of a Disney movie, assuring them their daughter will enjoy it on the drive south.

That man was my grandfather, an entrepreneur who, with his own father, transformed their wagon-making business into one of the largest car dealerships in the canton of Grisons, in eastern Switzerland.

To be honest, cars have never been my passion. I enjoy them, but it's not a burning interest. What was contagious, though, was my grandfather’s passion for being an entrepreneur. His passion for the company his family created burned so hot and bright that it felt as though you could catch fire just standing next to him.

My grandfather is no longer with us, but his entrepreneurial spirit lives on. He envisioned phenomenal customer service in the automotive industry and created a company that mirrored that vision. For him, it wasn’t just a job or even a career—it was a calling. Such a calling is also what I aspire to have, and I want others to have it, too.

Most people picture an entrepreneur as a tough businessperson—a natural-born leader and manager, dressed to impress with a go-getter attitude, poised to become a titan in their industry.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

George Mack, in his brilliant essay on the different types of entrepreneurs (which you can read and subscribe to on his newsletter here, he's brilliant!), categorizes entrepreneurs into six distinct types. One could argue there are even more. The beauty of entrepreneurship lies in its diversity. With so many facets to life and its countless problems to solve, entrepreneurship becomes not just the solution, but a necessity.

But how do you find your entrepreneurial type?

I believe it starts with your interests. Some might argue it should start with your talents, but talents only determine your starting position in a skill. Talent is nothing compared to grit, which is what almost every successful entrepreneur cites as the main source of their success. If you follow your interests, you're more likely to persevere when things get tough. And they will get tough. That’s why I advocate finding your interests first and pursuing them with determination. But you shouldn't cast your given talents aside, either. If you truly want to be formidable, then find out where your interests and talents intersect. I'm certain that this will make you unstoppable.

Both of my roommates are incredibly talented in their fields. One is a genius marketer, the other a tax expert savant. Their careers couldn’t be more different, yet both found something uniquely theirs that fascinates them. I hope they become entrepreneurs themselves, showing the world their undistorted uniqueness—the world would be so much richer for it.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I also want to see your uniqueness shine. You are one of a kind, with immense potential. When you bring your uniqueness to the world, it transforms it from gray to vibrant. The world needs as much innovation, positivity, and prosperity as it can get.

I have the immense privilege of managing the real estate company my mother and I own. It's not a large portfolio (yet), but it fills me with pride and gratitude to work on something that is uniquely ours.

Entrepreneurship is the vessel through which you can bring yourself into the world. It’s the equivalent of the canvas of a great artist, but you hold the brush.

Start painting.