Are Entrepreneurs Made or Born?

The age-old debate of whether entrepreneurs are made or born continues to captivate the minds of individuals interested in the world of business and innovation, including mine. Some argue that certain individuals possess inherent traits and characteristics that make them more likely to succeed as entrepreneurs, while others believe that entrepreneurship is a skill that can be acquired and nurtured through experience and education. I began to explore both perspectives as I look for insights into the nature of entrepreneurship. I went ahead and did a personal assessment of myself whether to be an entrepreneur and I share about my journey and experiences in various entrepreneurial endeavors. I hope you don't mind me inserting some corporate pictures here too 😉.

One night in class I asked the question, “Are entrepreneurs made or born?” to which Prof. Ernie answered -

“Entrepreneurs are 60-70% born, 30-40% is due to the nurture part.”

He then further said that these two are not extremes, they are not mutually exclusive. Entrepreneurs are born and made to varying extents. Those who argue that entrepreneurs are born often point to certain personality traits, such as risk-taking propensity, creativity, ambition, and being born to an entrepreneurial family as innate qualities that predispose individuals to entrepreneurship. On the other end of the spectrum, proponents of the "made" side of the debate emphasize the importance of education, experience, and exposure to entrepreneurial environments in cultivating entrepreneurial skills and mindset. I went ahead and looked into the beginnings of well-known businessmen and women in the country to get some insights into the start of their entrepreneurial journey.

Tony Tan Caktiong, the founder and chairman of Jollibee Foods Corporation and the co-chairman of Double Dragon Properties, was born to Chinese immigrant parents from Fujian. His dad worked as a cook before setting up his own restaurant in Davao City. Tony graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Henry Sy, the founder of the Shoe Mart (SM) Group, was born in Fujian, and at the age of 12, his family moved to the Philippines. His dad had a shop that sold various household items. As a young boy, Henry helped his father sell rice, sardines, and other items. The store was obliterated following World War II and his family decided to return to China. Henry stayed in the Philippines and finished his Associate of Arts degree in commercial studies at Far Eastern University.

Lucio Tan who presides over the LT Group, Inc., was born in Fujian, China. His family moved to Cebu when he was still a child and it’s been said that he went to school barefoot and first worked as a stevedore. He graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Far Eastern University. While in college, he mopped floors at a tobacco factory to pay for school.

Andrew Tan who runs the Alliance Global Group Inc. was an immigrant from China and was born in Fujian province. He spent his childhood in Hong Kong and later moved to Manila where he studied accounting at the University of the East.

John Gokongwei is the founder and chairman emeritus of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and he was born in China. His family has ancestral ties to Fujian. Although born from wealth, the family fortune was lost after the death of his father when John was just 13 years old. It was also around that time that World War II started. He supported his family by peddling items with his bicycle along the streets of Cebu. Between the ages of 17 and 19, he took his goods to Dalahican, Lucena by sea trading using a wooden boat and then by truck to Manila.

Jaime Zobel de Ayala is the president and chairman of Ayala Corporation. He earned his BA degree in Economics from Harvard College and graduated cum laude. He also finished his MBA from Harvard Business Law School.

Socorro Ramos, the co-founder of National Book Store, grew up in an entrepreneurial family helping in her parents’ shop and grandmother’s market stall as a young girl. After graduating high school, she worked as a shop girl for a bookstore of the family of Jose Ramos who would become her husband later on.

Alfredo Yao, the founder of Zest-O, Macay Holdings Inc., and Philippine Business Bank, began supporting his family after losing his father at age 12. He was not able to finish his education due to the need to give his full attention to managing his growing business empire.
Mariano Que, the founder of Mercury Drug, worked as an employee for a pharmacy prior to the onset of World War II. He then sold Sulfathiazole pills in single doses and other medicine which he peddled through a pushcart.

Edgar “Injap” Sia, the chairman of Double Dragon Properties and the founder of Mang Inasal fast food restaurant chain, was born in Iloilo City and was nicknamed “Injap” a portmanteau of “Intsik” and “Japanese” that stand for his half Chinese father and half Japanese mother, respectively. Sia wanted to become an architect but dropped out of the University of San Agustin to start a business.

We can draw common denominators from these successful entrepreneurs. Most started from humble beginnings, came from a family of entrepreneurs, and were born in Fujian, China. As such, evaluating myself according to these criteria led me to think that, maybe, I am partly born for entrepreneurship, for about 30-45%. As far as our economic status is concerned, we come from the upper lower-income class which allows us to eat three meals a day and have a slight level of comfort but no assets to permanently call our own. My grandfather on my dad’s side was part Chinese and my granddad on my mom’s side was a skilled salesman. My dad is an OFW and spent most of his working years in the corporate world. There were a few years of his life spent on entrepreneurial pursuits like when he worked as a part-time encyclopedia salesman, he ventured into multi-level marketing, and when he put up his small carinderia and sari-sari store. All his entrepreneurial pursuits proved to be not as successful as his corporate pursuits. Thus, he spent most hours of his life doing the latter and only a few on the former. My mom couldn’t finish her studies because she had me at a very young age and she spent most of her life being a homemaker. Most of my extended family also revolved their lives around their corporate jobs and only a few have decided to dip their toes into entrepreneurship only after retirement.

As a child, I exhibited signs of creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit through activities like making bracelets and selling them, and trading my writing skills for favors or goods from my classmates. These early experiences sparked my interest in entrepreneurship and set the foundation for my future endeavors. When I progressed through my academic path, my focus was geared toward getting good grades and getting through college to land a good job and provide for my family - that was the programming my parents downloaded to the CPU that was my young mind. Pursuing a degree in chemical engineering provided me with a solid technical foundation and equipped me with problem-solving skills. However, it was the chemical engineering elective course, Technopreneurship, that truly piqued my interest in entrepreneurship. Learning about business models, market analysis, and innovation strategies tied to the chemical engineering discipline reinforced my belief that entrepreneurship was a path that I wanted to explore further.

After passing the chemical engineering board exam, I started making money off my skills by becoming an English-as-a-Second-Language teacher for Japanese students online. It was also around this time that I went into cryptocurrency Web3 blogging. I wanted to take a break from chemical engineering first and took my time in applying for a course-related job. Ten months later, I ventured into my first industry-related position and started as a process engineer in the manufacturing industry. It was also around this time that I got my license as a life insurance agent of AXA Philippines. Two years later, I decided to get out of the corporate world to venture into the field of sales and sold insurance policies as a full-time sales agent. This experience allowed me to develop essential business skills, such as prospecting, appointment setting, business pitching, and closing deals. While these skills were not inherently present in me, I was able to acquire them through practical experience and the guidance of seasoned professionals. This demonstrates how entrepreneurship can be nurtured and developed through exposure to real-world challenges and the acquisition of relevant skills. It’s now been three years since I took my exit from the corporate world. I find myself making money out of the skills that I nurtured along the way. I went into social media marketing, and lead generation while continuing to be a sales agent and a Web3 blogger. Looking back on my own journey, I believe that while some individuals may possess natural inclinations toward entrepreneurship, it is ultimately a combination of both nature and nurture that shapes one's entrepreneurial abilities.

I find myself having the opinion that my previous employers could do better for their employees in terms of salary, room for career growth, and work-life harmony. There had been a discussion in class about this and Prof Ernie posed the challenge of making a company on our own so that we can make our own policies. He also reminded the class that the owner has the right to manage their own company the way they want. I am curious to confirm if it will really make me feel good once I make the decisions. Prof Ernie says that it will leave us feeling very fulfilled. Being an ex-employee provides us with the perspective of being in the employees’ shoes. Because we already know how it is to be an employee, we will make it a point to have a positive attitude toward them. It is necessary to have a good working relationship with employees because as an owner, we know that we will not be able to elevate the company to new heights on our own.

Reflecting on the paths that I have taken and will have yet to take; I think what I really lack right now to be fully called an entrepreneur is to take that leap and start my own enterprise. I already have the skills and the mindset to take on this new world. This is the reason why I took MBA in the first place. Currently, I find myself in the position to delve into the business of manufacturing and selling household cleaning solutions. I will be partnering with a friend who intends to focus on B2B (business to business) clients, and I can imagine that this will open new opportunities for growth and learning. This venture allows me to apply my technical knowledge while simultaneously leveraging my entrepreneurial skills and mindset. It is the combination of my innate passion and the experience and education I have acquired along the way that positions me as an entrepreneur.

I still find the debate surrounding whether entrepreneurs are made or born an intriguing one. While it is evident that certain personality traits and inclinations may provide a head start, the development of entrepreneurial skills and mindset heavily relies on education, experience, and exposure to entrepreneurial environments. My personal journey as an aspiring entrepreneur reflects this duality, as my childhood experiences and inherent interests set the foundation for my entrepreneurial aspirations. However, it was through education, practical experience, and exposure to various entrepreneurial ventures that I honed my skills and cultivated my entrepreneurial mindset. Ultimately, entrepreneurship is a dynamic interplay between nature and nurture, with both factors contributing to the success of individuals in the entrepreneurial landscape.

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