FOREWORD
Spark and start
- embracing entrepreneurship worldwide
Everywhere I go, across the US and around the world, I hear from people who are ready to
start something of their own - to lift up people’s lives and shape their own destinies. And that’s
entrepreneurship.
E
ntrepreneurship creates new
jobs and new businesses,
new ways to deliver basic
services, new ways of
seeing the world -- it’s the spark of
prosperity. Entrepreneurship offers a
positive alternative to the ideologies
of violence and division that can
all too often fill the void when
young people don’t see a future for
themselves.
Entrepreneurship means
ownership and self-determination.
Entrepreneurship brings down
barriers between communities and
cultures and builds bridges that
help us take on common challenges
together. Because one thing that
entrepreneurs understand is that you
don’t have to look a certain way, or
be of a certain faith or have a certain
last name in order to have a good
idea.
All of you embody a spirit that we
need to take on some of the biggest
challenges that we face in the world
-- the spirit of entrepreneurship, the
idea that there are no limits to the
human imagination; that ingenuity
can overcome what is and create
what needs to be.
The challenge is -- as so many
of you know -- it’s very often hard
to take those first steps. It’s hard to
access capital. It’s hard sometimes
to get the training and the skills to
run a business as professionally as
it needs to be in this competitive
world. It’s hard to tap into the
networks and mentors that can mean
the difference between a venture
taking off and one that falls flat.
And it’s even harder for women
and young people and communities
that have often been marginalised
and denied access to opportunities.
You run into old attitudes that say
some people, because of where you
come from or what you look like,
don’t have what it takes to lead or
create a business.
Of course, the best answer
to that kind of thinking is the
example that all of you are setting
-- your success. And that’s why
I’ve made encouraging this spirit
of entrepreneurship a key part
of America’s engagement in the
world. I launched the first Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in
Washington five years ago and I
attended this year in Kenya. Since
then, we’ve helped empower
thousands of entrepreneurs, giving
them a boost to launch thousands of
new businesses and initiatives.
One of the things that we have
come to understand in Government
is that in order to create successful
entrepreneurs, Government also has
a role in creating the transparency,
the rule of law, and the ease of doing
business that creates a platform for
people to succeed.
One nation that continues to
embrace the flame of knowledge
and invest in a world-class education
for your young people is Ireland.
And today, Ireland’s youth, and those
who’ve come back to build a new
Ireland, are now among the besteducated, most entrepreneurial in
the world.
This is a nation that met its
responsibilities -– and inspired the
entire world.
We’ve got to invest in human
2-3.indd 3
capital so that everyone has
the opportunity to access this
information and there’s got to
be the framework for access to
capital; reduce regulatory barriers;
the ability to start up businesses
effectively; making sure that
governments are facilitating as
opposed to being parasitic on
entrepreneurial efforts -- that’s our
job.
I want you all to know that I
believe in you. I believe that
you have the drive and the
passion to change the world.
You can unlock new solutions to
the pressing global challenges
that we face. I believe that as
you make these innovations,
you’ll make life better for all
of us. So get out there and start
something. We’re excited about
it. We expect great things out of
you.
President Barack Obama for GEN
Magazine 2015
GEN Magazine Ireland
Page 3
29/11/2015 6:58 p.m.