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When was the last time you met a millennial who didn’t have a side hustle or even a full-blown business?! Recently, I took a look at my inner circle and realized that more than half of them own some sort of business– bloggers, consultants, fitness instructors, podcasters, start-up owners, etc. While I would love to say that this is because I surround myself with hard-working badasses, it’s not. It is just the current state of our workforce.

While the abundance of opportunity is straight up incredible, it also got me thinking A LOT about my career path. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a business owner (thanks mom + dad for inspiring me!). From starting my blog back in 2013 to launching my boutique in 2017, everything I’ve done in the last half decade has been working towards making this dream a reality, but this entrepreneurial spirit is not special in the slightest.

So, while I still have a ton of unanswered questions that I personally need to figure out on this subject, I’ve talked myself out of my worries to confidently state that I am, in fact, a entrepreneur and here’s how:

1| I’m working towards a goal, not a paycheck. These days it is almost too easy to make money outside of the office and for millennials who are living paycheck-to-paycheck in cities they can’t afford, launching an Instagram that can bring in a few extra dollars is understandably tempting, but my blog and boutique has never been about making money. It has always been about cultivating a community of likeminded people (preppy lovers!) so that I can position myself as a leader/expert in the category.

2| I’m not discouraged by failure. ThePreppyMAG has definitely seen it’s up and downs. Some seasons of ThePreppyMAG Boutique do better than others, some content series really drive readership and others…crickets. BUT, I never take this as a sign to give-up, I take it as a sign to optimize my strategies. This solutions-oriented mindset and faith that I truly can overcome a failure is what sets an entrepreneur a part from an ordinary millennial.

3| I understand the value of experience. While I would definitely define myself as a risk-taker, I also understand and value ‘experience.’ So many millennials think they can jump right into blogging or consulting and become an overnight sensation, and sure, some of them absolutely can, but in terms of long-term success, experience truly is invaluable. This is why I continue to still have a full-time job to learn the ins and outs of corporate(ish) America or why I worked a few summers in retail back in college before launching my own boutique. You need to know more than Instagram to launch a business that will last in today’s landscape.

Truthfully, I’m still trying to figure this all out, but I think the #1 aspect that entrepreneurs have that general millennials don’t is that they don’t compare themselves to others. Of course, entrepreneurs will always have an eye on the competition (and how they can standout from the crowd), but they don’t compare their success to others. It’s not about who has the most instagram followers, who makes more money or who got written up in Forbes 30 under 30. Generally, entrepreneurs are incredibly supportive and what to see each other succeed.

I’m jumping into this week, with this positive perspective and can’t wait to crush it (in AND out of the office!). Share how you define entrepreneurs in the comments below.