There’s a new study out that suggests that fewer Americans are turning to entrepreneurship in 2010 than did in 2009. According to an article in Entrepreneur’s Daily Dose blog, the study by outsourcing firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas* found that “just 3.7 percent of job-seekers ended up starting a business… For comparison, 8.6 percent of the unemployed became entrepreneurs in calendar [year] 2009.”
The article is titled Note to Entrepreneurs: Laid-Off Workers No Longer Want To Be You. Interesting, because I’d argue that they never did. Sure, lots of people hang out consulting shingles or think their employment gap is the perfect opportunity to test out that business venture they always said they wanted to start. But most people aren’t prepared for the long hours and the do-everything-yourself reality of starting up a business. Not to mention the lack of a steady paycheck, health care benefits, or a built-in pension plan.
What do you think? Surprised by the numbers or a reversion back toward the norm?
*Sorry that there’s no link to the original study, but I couldn’t find one. If you have one, please let me know and I’ll add it in.
Photo by Aaron Smith (Flickr).
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