I get what makes an effective Instagram feed: pretty pictures, happy people, colors that pop. As an entrepreneur, I am also fully aware that what we see in these feeds is only a few brief, well-cropped moments. This is also true for most of what we see on Facebook.
Most behind-the-scenes moments are made of dirt, grit, hard work, sweat, tears, failure, and sometimes even blood!
Being an entrepreneur may seem glamorous. I used to get tongue-tied when I met entrepreneurs because to me they are rock stars.
Really, they're just people willing to work tirelessly because of a passion.
Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. It takes lots of time, effort, dirty work, and the ability to accept failure on a regular basis.
The entrepreneurial spirit is not limited to business owners.
Anyone that works diligently to bring new ideas forward embodies the entrepreneurial spirit.
This includes teachers using innovative techniques to engage their students, nonprofit leaders trying new programs to expand their reach, citizens working to bring their community together with new ideas, artists planning shows and events for the community, single parents juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet, and more.
Goshen, Indiana uses the beautiful hashtag #goodofgoshen. Our town is really a fabulous place. I suggest that those of that are eeking out a living of our own, start using the hashtag #GritOfGoshen as well when we share behind-the-scenes images.
Show us your pictures of piles of grading, your dirty hands from working all day, a full planner, the lunches eaten in the car between meetings and use #GritOfGoshen.
Some towns have bumper stickers that say things like "Keep Portland Weird". My husband, Jeremy, suggested that we have bumper stickers that say, "Keep Goshen Gritty" which is where the idea for the hashtag comes.
The gritty--not afraid to get your hands dirty--culture in our community is what makes our community strong, supportive, and innovative.
