Being an Intrepreneur at the Workplace

There is a new buzzword making its way into urban dictionaries. Intrepreneur is a hybrid of the term entrepreneur and innovator. A powerful source in a larger company, an intrepreneur is a corporate innovator who fulfills an entrepreneurial role within their workplace. The entrepreneur exhibits many self-starting characteristics of an entrepreneur but acts within the confines of an existing company or organization. The trait is increasingly desired among employers who don’t want to have to micromanage their staff and would rather have a team of progressive entrepreneurs. 

So, how do you become an intrepreneur? 

Come up with an idea, then cost it out, plan it out and present it to your boss. Don’t be afraid to speak out. Make sure you are working for a company that allows for a degree of individual leeway and growth. Whether it is for a company event, a new campaign or a new way of doing business altogether, make sure it all makes sense and that you have all the answers to the necessary questions prepared before you introduce your idea to superiors. 

Always look to improve efficiency and effectiveness, both in terms of your individual performance and the company as a whole.  Be vocal and methodical with what you feel you could be doing to better manage your time and effort and share this with boss. If there are certain company practices or things that seem to hinder productivity, speak up. Doesn’t simply be an identifier of a problem; when recognizing the problem, also suggest possible solutions. Do your research and root cause analysis to learn how to systematically improve processes for the better functioning of the company. 

Learn all workings of your company, even factors that are seemingly unrelated to your job. Know the extended system of your company and all the essential employees, clients, suppliers, customers and end-users of your product or services. Knowledge is power and knowing all workings may help to logistically put those great intrepreneurial ideas into practice. 

Keep on top of what is happening in your industry. Identify certain trends and pieces of relevant information in the industry and share it with your team. Attend conferences and go to new trainingsDon’t be afraid to dabble in these things, backed by a trial and error mentality. Play around with new technologies.   

Network. Discover strategic networking events for your team, whether it involves joining an athletic league or attending charity galas and networking events. Suggest these to your coworkers, but let the boss know first. In larger companies, take the time to network internally within your organization; you never know what new opportunities come from new people and exploring new areas. People prosper who are likeable and easy to work with. 

Brand yourself. Companies have very specifically-crafted brands that represent what they stand for and affect their place in the market. A company’s brand and reputation is what attracts customers and sponsors to them. Branding yourself personally can provide the same benefits for an intrepreneur and can attract people to you. This can help with getting people on board with new projects, company initiatives and even to after-work events. Developing a personal intrepreneurial brand within an organization can make a budding intrepreneur attractive and recognizable.