Entrepreneurial Careerism in 2009?

by Nathaniel Whittemore · 2009-01-03 18:27:00 UTC
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Like just about everyone on the internet, BusinessWeek has gotten into the 2009 prediction game, making ten crystal ball gazes and coming up with what they think will shape business in 2009. Not surprisingly, most of it is shaped by the recession. One of their predictions in particular has ramifications for social entrepreneurship.

BW thinks that in 2009, workers will "go creative," striking out on their own away from big firms for small business and/or free-lance jobs. In the medium term, social enterprises stand to benefit from this. On the one hand, economic pressure may mean that social enterprises can score highly-skilled labor in a freelance or consulting capacity for less than they would normally have to pay. What's more, I think that in general, people find jobs where they have a sense of mission, work in small teams, and feel like they have a personal stake that transcends a paycheck just tend to be more fulfilling. Many social enterprises can offer that sort of work setting in a way that larger firms just can't match, and you could see the sector be a hugely in-demand space for job seekers.

If you're interested in this type of thing, check out Y-Combinator founder Paul Graham's excellent essay "You Weren't Meant to Have a Boss."

Nathaniel Whittemore is the founder of Assetmap. Previously he was the founding director of the Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement.
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