there are imposters among us.
‘Flaunt’ – “To display (something) ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration or to show defiance”.
‘Entrepreneur’ – “A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so”.
‘Flauntrepreneur’
With over 25 million business accounts on Instagram, it’s not uncommon to see ‘Entrepreneur’ pasted proudly on the bio of a teenager who sold his old bobblehead on eBay one time. The popularity and attraction to being a self-starter, owner of a business, and (of course) entrepreneur is at an all-time high. Multi-millionaire Gary Vaynerchuk has said we have lived “through the greatest era of fake entrepreneurs” in 2016 but the era of fake entrepreneurship has continued past its suggested expiration date.
An entrepreneur is supposed to be an ambitious self-starter. Someone who identifies a need and delivers the solution. A person who works hard and comes up with creative ways to beat the odds. And most importantly – someone who is so goal-focused that nothing else matters.
So… what is a flauntrepreneur like?
Flauntrepreneurs are all bark and no bite. The worst part? Flauntrepreneurs are flashy – creating an illusion of entrepreneurship either by posting pictures of expensive items or false indicators of success. But, to be fair, sometimes people don’t even know that they’re a flauntrepreneur. Someone might just be over eager – too future focused – to realize that they’ve neglected the day to day grind. And that’s okay.
So, in order to help save those who might be blissfully ignorant (or clear criminals) of their flauntreprenurial ways I’ve compiled a list of descriptions that can help identify if you’re the dreaded flauntrepreneur.
1. They like to peacock.
This is the biggest telltale sign. Flauntrepreneurs are flashy. They like to show off their fancy watches, expensive (leased) cars, and actively look for chances to show off on social media.
Now, nothing’s wrong with having pride and flaunting success.
In fact, if you’ve put in the work to earn what you’ve got? I say flex hard and flex away.
But when the flaunting is all a front with no real results? That’s a problem.
What might the real entrepreneur be doing you ask? While their flaunting counterpart just posted a picture of a Lamborghini, the entrepreneur just read a bad customer review, then spent the next 5 hours evaluating how to increase customer satisfaction the next time.
2. They (almost) never follow through with their big ideas.
Flauntrepreneurs are only as consistent as their next Instagram photo and continue to fail at reaching deadlines and milestones. Flauntrepreneurs excel at looking at the macro, but fail in executing the micro. Flauntrepreneurs hit easy milestones and set easy goals like creating an Instagram page, or researching “how to start a business” but never pull the trigger.
Entrepreneurs take action. Entrepreneurs are like clockwork, flauntrepreneurs are a broken timepiece.
3. They aren’t in love with the process.
Everyone likes winning. Flauntrepreneurs want success and they want it fast. They’re attracted to the glam and success of others yet dread the work that comes with it. Not everyone likes to train and grind and stick it out to make things happen.
“What’s the fastest way to get a million dollars without any work upfront, no money down, and low risk?”
– Your local flauntrepreneur (probably)
Real entrepreneurs love the grind – they live, breathe, and sweat the process. They show up and show out every single day without fail and they aren’t put off by minor setbacks.
4. They’re slow to pick themselves back up from adversity.
If you look into any respected CEO or businesspersons’ life, you’ll find that adversity played a role in shaping their success. From spiteful critics to poor sales and razor-thin profit margins, the true entrepreneur finds ways to beat the odds. The real entrepreneur finds ways to adjust and overcome the obstacles in their way.
When the going gets tough, the flauntrepreneur finds something easier to do. If you really want to know if someone’s the real deal, observe them under pressure. Do they rise to the occasion or crumble in the face of a challenge?
5. They lack a clear vision.
The flauntrepreneurs strength wavers in the face of criticism and their vision can become blurry with every distraction that comes their way. Their goals are all over the board and they struggle to form coherent plans to achieve their goals.
Entrepreneurs identify needs and provide the solutions – in the best way possible. They allow their vision of their product to drive their success. When the haters, critics, and “people who swear they know what’s best for your business” all speak their minds, the entrepreneur knows who to listen to and disregard. They accept valid criticism and reject the fluff. Their vision provides a wall against those who doubt them and fuels their success.
The Conclusion
Don’t beat yourself up if some of these descriptions seem to fit you. That’s normal. Sometimes in our visions of grandeur, we lose sight of the everyday grind. Setbacks can be devastating and at times it can be tough to rally. That’s okay. What’s not okay is realizing those flaws and continuing to allow them to happen.
Flauntrepreneurship is kind of like the perfect girl/boyfriend who is perfect on paper, woos your parents, and makes you feel good but something doesn’t feel quite right. Flauntrepreneurship can make you feel great from the attention or provide a false sense of productivity – but the substance isn’t there.
Leave flauntrepreneurship behind and embrace the grind, the hustle, and the process. If you’ve identified yourself as a flauntrepreneur, now’s the time to change that. What is your definition of ‘flauntrepreneur’?
Leave your definition in the comments below, or share this post on social media with your definition or your thoughts!