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.the new
entrepreneur
as the year nears its end,
it seems only appropriate to take a quick look back.
(I’m taking some solace in the fact that this year we
don’t have to reflect upon an entire millennium.) As
I see it, one of the most striking changes over the
past year has been the changing climate of the busi
ness world for entrepreneurs. Some would say start
up fever has turned to start-up phobia, as both
entrepreneurs and investors have become more cau
tious. Of course, start-ups are still starting up—and
succeeding—but as we developed our cover story
“Five for the Future” (page 33), about five of today’s
most promising new fields, it became clear that
many young professionals are finding creative ways
to satisfy their entrepreneurial drive.
For me, the initial appeal of entrepreneurship was
the opportunity to build something from scratch in
a way that I thought would make a difference. It’s
been captivating to feel like a risk taker, to juggle
responsibilities, to play a small part in shaping peo
ple’s futures. As you read “Five for the Future,” you’ll
see that the fields highlighted (from wireless com
munications to venture philanthropy) offer adven
turous job seekers many of these same opportunities.
The real theme here is that you don’t have to be
an entrepreneur to feel like one. You can be an
entrepreneur on the job, even if you are working for
someone else. All I have to do to confirm the theory
is look around at the 100 employees at experience—
most of whom haven’t been here from the begin
ning, but all of whom still get a chance to shape and
build our company each day.
In building our company, our goal has always
been to help you find the right job and career. We
hope our magazine inspires you with stories from
the inside about people and organizations that are
playing by their own rules. When you go online to
our web site, experience.com, we hope to take your
education to the next level with our collection of
tools, articles, and other resources. When you’re
ready, we’ll be there for your internship or job
search with an online database of opportunities that
are perfect for ambitious—and entrepreneurial—
young professionals like you. ©
Warmest regards,
Jennifer Floren
Founder and Publisher