The question first occurred to me around the time that my co-director and I completed the management buy-out of Six Degrees in 2007 – a company where we had worked for 10 and 20 years, respectively.

Overnight, it seemed like I was being bombarded with invitations to events aimed at entrepreneurs. But I didn’t feel like one. Sure, I had helped grow the business since taking up the role of MD in 2005, but I hadn’t had the pain (or the adventure) of starting in my spare bedroom, making the big decision to hire my first employee, sleepless nights wondering if I could make it from month to month. In fact, until we handed over the cheque for the business, I wasn’t actually sure that I had entrepreneurial blood running through my veins. But, two years on, there is no question that I do.

Recently I was privileged to attend a Global Leadership Conference hosted by the Entrepreneurs' Organization, in the US. It was three days designed to educate me and other EO board members about our upcoming role in the UK board of the organization. And yes, I learned a lot about what I’m going to be expected to do. But on a much more fundamental level, I learned what it means to be a real entrepreneur – to want to create jobs in your community, to want to make a real difference in people’s lives, and to believe without question in the vision you hold. For me, this short video sums it up.

The message was further reinforced by a fascinating talk I attended a few nights agon, at One Alfred Place, London. Luke Johnson , of Pizza Express fame, was talking about the opportunities for ‘silver start-ups’, and all the points he made were relevant to entrepreneurs of any age. For many entrepreneurs it is not about the money (because most could earn a higher salary, with a lot more stability, in a big corporate). According to Luke, it’s about the freedom. Although most entrepreneurs end up working longer hours than they ever would in the corporate world, the fact that they are pursuing their dream gives them a drive they may not have realized they had.

Today’s economic environment is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, in my working life anyway. And sometimes all the negativity makes me wonder why it is I choose to run a business. But hearing so many successful entrepreneurs talk so passionately about their own journeys, I now know that I do it for the simple reason that I look forward to getting into work everyday. Despite the trials and tribulations of running any business, the truth is that I get a huge buzz out of working with a team of outstanding people, making a real difference to the clients we work with.

I’ve decided that entrepreneurialism is a mindset and philosophy as much as it is an appetite for financial risk. It’s about setting your sights high, and having the determination to get there, no matter what obstacles are put in your way.