Global Ecovillage Network/Solution Library/Collective entrepreneurship based on

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When a person wants to become an entrepreneur doubts are often raised as there are quite a few competences and skills to develop and challenges to face. This process, if it is carried out individually, can be hard because there is usually a lot of new things to learn and much work involved. So how can we find a way to make our idea a reality but with support from others, rather than trying to do it all on our own? How can we be more resilient as enterprise?

None of us is as smart as all of us.

— Kenneth H. Blanchard

Collective/Cooperative entrepreneurship can be a solution in many cases. While it is not a panacea, it does have a lot of advantages. A team can add to, multiply and complement each of the competencies and skills of the individuals, bringing a more powerful approach to the challenge. Each person contributes his/her unique skills and relationships to the team, building strength and gaining resilience.

The key elements of the cooperative DNA are: democratic management and shared ownership. These elements play a positive role in the enterprise’s resilience.