We don’t talk about this enough, but I’ll be brave enough to say it…. entrepreneurship is not for everyone!!
There’s a lot of noise these days about being your own boss. Going solo. Building something from scratch. And for some, that’s exciting and we need it. They thrive on the challenge.
But for others, it comes with high risk, emotional strain, and a level of uncertainty many people are simply not built for, or interested in.
They don’t want the constant pressure of marketing, doing their admin, showing up consistently, sleepless nights, time away from loved ones, dealing with trolls, not making money every month…. This thing is REAL.
They just want to do great work, make a difference, and go home at a decent hour.
In the UK, more than 800,000 businesses were registered last year. In Dubai, over 25,000 new licences were issued in just the first six months of 2024. On paper, entrepreneurship is booming.
But behind the headlines, the numbers tell a different story:
- Around 20% of new UK businesses fail in their first year
- Over 50% don’t make it to year three
- In the UAE, many small businesses quietly disappear, often due to cash flow issues or lack of sustainable demand
So while entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be exhausting, isolating, and financially risky.
And that brings us to a different kind of talent.
The ones we don’t talk about as much.
There are plenty of people who are clever, committed, creative, who don’t want to build something on their own.
-They’d rather be part of something bigger.
-They’ve got ideas, but they don’t want to go it alone.
-They’re not looking to raise capital or create a personal brand.
They just want their ideas to mean something and make an impact.
So here’s the real question:
If we’ve built entire ecosystems to help entrepreneurs, accelerators, funding schemes, pitch nights, panels, mentoring networks etc
“Why haven’t we done the same for the people who want to innovate from within organisations?”
People who:
- Want to make things better, but need the stability of a regular salary
- Have bold ideas, but don’t have to be the face of a business
- Work best in a team, with structure, not flying solo
This is where intrapreneurship comes in.
Intrapreneurs are the people inside your company who think like entrepreneurs. They see gaps, spot patterns, and suggest improvements that others miss. They’re not interested in titles, they’re interested in progress AND impact!
These are the people who:
- Find ways to cut out inefficiencies
- Challenge the status quo in meetings (respectfully!)
- Bring ideas that actually improve the customer experience or save the business money
But here’s the catch – if they don’t have the room to explore those ideas, they’ll eventually leave. That’s top talent leaving the business. And often, they’ll try entrepreneurship, mainly because their coach, mentor and social media make them feel ‘less than’ or ‘not following their passion’ but it DOESN’T work out for them.
So what can companies do to keep them?
- Create proper space for innovation not just another suggestion box
- Back them with budget and support, not just lip service or ticking a box
- Let them see the outcome of their work share the credit, give them a stake in the business
- Train managers to recognise intrapreneurs, and protect their spark
- Build pathways for ideas to go somewhere, rather than hit a dead end
The future of work isn’t just about founders and start-ups.
It’s about whether organisations are ready to rethink how they lead, reward, and retain people who think differently.
We don’t need more burnt-out ex-founders, depressed, stressed and can’t even hit the VAT threshold.
We need workplaces that are smart enough to keep their brightest minds in the building and give them room to build.
Happy to hear your thoughts.
Michelle Raymond is an award-winning independent leadership consultant and trusted advisor to global companies, helping organisations build inclusive and innovative cultures that drive performance, trust, and transformation.
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