Let me start this post by saying thank you to all of you who visit this website. Thanks to all of you who send me ideas for posts. Thanks to my lovely wife, Ann, for taking on the role as my editor and sounding board for this blog.
Five years ago today, under the patient guidance of blogger Bill Hobbs who I also need to thank, I launched this blog. I had just recently started teaching at Belmont University. Bill wandered into my office and asked me if I wanted to be a “blogger” for the University.
Poor Bill — he had no idea what he was in for when he recruited me.
I had never been to a blog, and really had no idea what one was.
As I understood what he was saying at the time, it was a forum to write about my passion — entrepreneurship. People would come to the site and read what I have to say and hopefully it would create some interesting dialogue.
At first I struggled. I had a hard time getting this blogging thing. I struggled with my writing style and I struggled on what exactly I should write about day after day.
Bill told me to be patient. More and more people would find their way to the site. Eventually I would find my “voice” for the blog.
I thought, “What the heck. I’ll try if for a little while and see what happens.”
Well, 2024 posts and five years later I am still trucking along.
I often think that my time as a blogger is coming to an end. It is hard work. I keep thinking another forum or technology will take its place. But, every time I think it might be time to hang it up, something always seems to happen to renew me as a blogger.
It might be an e-mail from a reader, a thoughtful comment posted at the site, or kind words from someone I meet who is a regular visitor to the blog.
Entrepreneurship has probably never been more important in our economy than it is today. The US is an economic super power that has a weak and aging economic foundation. Entrepreneurship is the key to re-inventing this economy. The world is increasingly turning away from government solutions and looking to the free market as the means for prosperity. Social entrepreneurship is being viewed as the key to finally finding real solutions to our social ills. Entrepreneurship really does matter. So I will keep on blogging about it. I will keep on talking about ways to help entrepreneurs succeed in their risky endeavors. And I will keep on talking about how we can break down governmentally created barriers that inhibit our entrepreneurial economy.
Will I be blogging on September 10, 2013? Who knows! But, I will be blogging tomorrow. We’ll see where that post takes us.
Glad you never “hung it up.” I really enjoy reading your blog and hope you continue to write for many years to come.