In a paper by Dr. Chad Mourtray released this week by the SBA Office of Advocacy, the study finds that:
– Prior military experience is the strongest predictor of self-employment, increasing the likelihood by 9.4 to 11 percent.
– Having some college education increases the chances of self-employment by 3.3 percent, a baccalaureate degree by 4.4 percent and graduate experience by 8.3 percent.
Since we find that self-confidence and self-reliance are both important predictors of entrepreneurial aspirations, neither of these findings are that surprising. However, it is interesting to see that military experience was the single strongest predictor of starting a business.
Dr Jeff Cornwall
Co-founder of The Entrepreneurial Mind, serial entrepreneur and professor of entrepreneurship.
I have always thought that generally, having the least amount of exposure to the government was the best way to start a business. Perhaps being immersed in ineffciency motivates people to go out on their own.
Not an unrealistic theory!!
Perhaps irascible old soldiers have no choice but to work for the only people who will put up with us…ourselves.