At the forefront of ingenuity exists imagination. By nurturing the skill of creative thinking, we gain the tools necessary to create our own success, expand the bounds of our minds, and challenge the limits of systems set in place before us. This tool of creativity is not limited to traditionally artistic fields but is at the disposal of all professionals who dare to invent and create.
When entrepreneurs imagine, they hold the key to building a business where workers thrive, fulfilling their greatest potential. However, a visionary entrepreneur doesn’t stop at dreaming big. Instead, they push forward to execute smart ideas and identify opportunities for growth and innovation. Thinking outside of the box means seeing with clarity the possible evolution of a business into something that sparks positive change in our communities and inspiration in other people. In these ways, originality and resourcefulness are the fundamental building blocks of creation. In embracing these elements intrinsic to the invention, we can firmly seize our chance to sculpt the future of business.
As we enter a post-COVID-19 society, we must ask ourselves: “What does it mean to be an entrepreneur in 2021? What does the future of business look like?” As entrepreneurs wielding the keys of imagination, we have the power to decide. Demands for social equity and responsibility have deeply affected the world as we know it, and the worldwide pandemic has shifted how we think, navigate, and internalize our everyday lives. From pivoting to working from home to wearing masks and social distancing, our concept of the workplace and interpersonal relationships has been irrevocably altered.
However, the pandemic has not left us powerless; the astute entrepreneur understands that now is the time to craft our new world with humanity and compassion. We need to reinvent and restructure the business world in a way that supports and empowers individual workers, as well as our communities as a whole. In this new, more inclusive society that we are building together, more doors lead to positive change available to us than ever before. With creative entrepreneurship, we have the unique ability to unlock these doors and pioneer forward-thinking businesses for an equitable world. We aim not only to adapt to this post-COVID-19 society but also to shape it actively.
In the spirit of innovation, this year at George Washington University, the 2021 GW October Entrepreneurship Week will focus on the theme of Imagine. In particular, on Friday of the week of this conference, we will host sessions that highlight and present new academic research exploring the imaginative nature of entrepreneurship. The event held at George Washington University from October 18th – 22nd, 2021.
Courtesy of ICSB, International Council for Small Business