The Study Where information becomes wisdom. 
Why do people start businesses? Well, it would seem based on our research as well as asking the question to over 100 entrepreneurs; one big reason is curiosity.
Personal curiosity: Can I run a business successfully? Do I have what it takes?
Experiential curiosity: What will it feel like to operate a business? What are the steps to building a successful business?
Inventive curiosity: Will it work? What if we did this and that? Light bulb moments are a solid foundation to build a business and curiosity often starts the journey.
“We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious … and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Walt Disney.
Some people like Jennifer Levine Hartz were so driven by curiosity that they built a business that would allow them to explore more than they could in a traditional role.
We found 15 reasons why people start businesses.
For a look at the 15 reasons as well as the personality traits that are most commonly found in entrepreneurs please visit the full study here: Why people start businesses.
What did entrepreneurs have to say about curiosity?
I love learning, ten-twenty years ago I wouldn’t have said that I loved learning, now it’s like an obsession trying to learn new stuff I read constantly. If there is an opportunity to expose myself to something new that’s when I feel truly alive.
Chris Facey, Freightsavvy.com powered by DLS Worldwide
I’m one of those people that’s curious about everything and everybody. Revelation; I really like working with people and helping them to learn about themselves. There is a story that some people tell about Michelangelo, how he spent three years finding the stone to create The David, I like to think that anyone who wants to communicate and tell their story this way, they can do it, I can help them do that.
Steve Renard, Crowned Fox Adventures
I know exactly why, one of the things I loved about being at McKinsey was that I got to change industries I got to change functional areas, I got to be in different geographies and lines of business. The only long-term corporate role I had was at the home depot …. I loved that role … but the idea of going to sell the same widget over and over again wasn’t appealing. I felt I was going to miss the opportunity to learn about the pharmaceutical industry, steel fabrication, consumer products; marketing in Russia. I thought that if I did it I could remain interested and be a lifelong learner. Intellectual curiosity. That’s kind of why I love this because it requires a level of curiosity, a level of connecting dots.
Jennifer Levine Hartz, Corporate Hartz
