I recently read a post by Kelly Spors of “Independent Street”, a WSJ Blog regarding the difference between small business owners and entrepreneurs. It is interesting as they are often treated as virtually synonymous terms when, in reality, their a some key distinctions. There are some valuable reasons to understanding these distinctions. First, and likely most importantly, you can decide which you are in order to more fully achieve your desired end versus being clouded by misinterpreted information and tips meant for the other type. Second, this provides a better clarity for consultants, coaches, other entrepreneurs and business owners, in suggesting direction and measuring results. Economically speaking, these two types have a different effect on growth, job creation, stability, etc.

The post refers to this as the key distinction:

entrepreneurs are those people who generate new revolutionary ideas, bringing them to the marketplace. Their ideas are innovative, making our society more efficient and often helping spur the U.S. economy by evolving into high-growth firms.

Once these dynamic “entrepreneurs” create one idea, they often move onto the next.

Small-business owners, by contrast, start a business and once they grow it big enough to support themselves and their families, they have no intentions of growing this much more.

From a research standpoint, this distinction will provide for more effective and applicable findings as their influence upon society differs.  As for influential advice, this distinction will allow the individual to seek information regarding their specific desires (i.e. growing a stable small business vs. exploding multiple ventures one after another).  As Kelly poses the question, so will I, with my own twist of course:

Do you want to be an entrepreneur or small business owner?

I tend to cater to both, especially the newly formed small business as they follow similar paths in the beginning…