What is an entrepreneur?

I'm probably taking a risk with some cynicism here.. but I think these days everyone feels they are an entrepreneur. The term itself has unfortunately become so diluted that quite soon, it will evoke negative sentiments or rolling of the eyes... when it's heard.

In my eyes for a true entrepreneur to stand out from the rest, they have to actually make some material and tangible difference to people's daily lives... not just anyone who set's up a website or works for themselves. BUT that's just my take on a very promiscuous word.

Will the real entrepreneur please stand up... ;)

I used to that that being an entrepreneur is a binary thing - either you are or you aren't. What I'm finding out is that it's more about being a self-starter than anything else -- and that it falls on a spectrum. I'd say an entrepreneur is someone who does things when they see an opportunity.

ep into so many different types of entrepreneurs, corporate, nonprofit entrepreneurship, but the defining quality is that an entrepreneur will see an opportunity and seize it.

حسب ما كتبته سابقا هنا في المدونة حول صعوبات الريادة في العالم العربي:

تُعّرف الريادة بأنها عملية إنشاء أعمال جديدة أو تطوير أعمال قائمة مع خلق فرص جديدة ذات قيمة تجارية. والريادي (Entrepreneur) هو الشخص الذي لديه القدرة على تحويل الابتكارات والأفكار الجديدة إلى أعمال ناجحة مربحة اقتصاديا، ويملك الجرأة الكافية للمخاطرة بتطبيق الفكرة وإعطائها ما يلزم من وقت وجهد ومال.

I agree with all the definitions given.

An entrepreneur is definitely someone who is an energetic self-starter and a resourceful go-getter who takes the risk of implementing an (often innovative) idea with an economic or social value-add. He/she does not have to come up with the idea itself.