---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins…"
description: "\"A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea - a unique way to solve a customer's problem. Your customer, after all, is the only justificat..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png"
---

#  A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea…

![“A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea - a unique way to solve a customer's problem. Your customer, after all, is the only justification for creating a company in the first place. Without a big, transformational idea, you can't produce a great result for your customer.” quote by Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png)

> “A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea - a unique way to solve a customer's problem. Your customer, after all, is the only justification for creating a company in the first place. Without a big, transformational idea, you can't produce a great result for your customer.”

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Successful businesses start with a clear, transformative idea that solves a real customer problem.

**In simple terms:** Big ideas solve real problems.

Key Takeaway

Focus on solving a specific customer pain.

Themes

entrepreneurship innovation customer focus

Mood

determined optimistic

Type

business motivational

When to use this quote

- startup planning
- product development
- customer interviews
- market research

Key Concepts

value proposition market fit business model

Questions to Reflect On

- What unique problem does your idea address?
- How will you validate the need?

A Different Perspective

Ideas alone won’t succeed without execution and market demand.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Big idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-idea/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Creating Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating-company-2993642/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Entrepreneurial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurial/) [Entrepreneurial Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurial-enterprise-1286305/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/result/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [True Entrepreneurial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-entrepreneurial-2993641/) [Unique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unique/)

## Related quotes

> [If you are planning to start a business, and if you want that business to have a hope of succeeding, be sure you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-are-planning-to-start-a-business-and-if-you-want-that-business/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Whether your dream is a $100,000 in sales or a million, the amount of work is likely the same - you'll still have 86,400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/whether-your-dream-is-a-100-000-in-sales-or-a-million-the-amount-of/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [“Discovery of new territories was becoming the great new entrepreneurial enterprise, and only a few countries, most notably Portugal and Castille, had recognized the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstin-downey/discovery-of-new-territories-was-becoming-the-great-new/)

[Kirstin Downey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstin-downey/)

> [Seattle's got a great work force, relatively low cost of starting a company, and just a really good, innovative entrepreneurial DNA. To me it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levitan/seattle-s-got-a-great-work-force-relatively-low-cost-of-starting-a/)

[Dan Levitan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levitan/)

> [The entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look. The entrepreneur in us is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-entrepreneur-in-us-sees-opportunities-everywhere-we-look-but-many/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [The Entrepreneurial Perspective is absolutely necessary for the creation of a great, growing business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-entrepreneurial-perspective-is-absolutely-necessary-for-the/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Most people who go into business for themselves and, therefore, believe they are entrepreneurs, are doomed to struggle because they don't have a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/most-people-who-go-into-business-for-themselves-and-therefore-believe/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [The E Myth. Most entrepreneurs are merely technicians with an entrepreneurial seizure. Most entrepreneurs fail because you are working IN your business rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-e-myth-most-entrepreneurs-are-merely-technicians-with-an/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/believe-in-something-larger-than-yourself-get-involved-in-the-big/)

[Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/)

> [I really like Kickstarter because you don't have to be a Medici to fund the arts and sciences or to get behind a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/i-really-like-kickstarter-because-you-don-t-have-to-be-a-medici-to/)

[Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/)

> [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [The only big ideas I've ever had came from daydreaming, but modern life keeps people from daydreaming. Every moment of the day your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-maccready/the-only-big-ideas-i-ve-ever-had-came-from-daydreaming-but-modern/)

[Paul MacCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-maccready/)

> [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [“You want the story of my life? Big ideas, small results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/you-want-the-story-of-my-life-big-ideas-small-results/)

[Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/)

> [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Michael Gerber

> [The more Strategic Work you do, the more effective, productive, and joyful the Tactical Work becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-more-strategic-work-you-do-the-more-effective-productive-and/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [If you haven't created the time as an owner to understand why people are choosing your model over your competition, then you are only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-haven-t-created-the-time-as-an-owner-to-understand-why-people/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [I've said it for four decades - work 'on' your business, not just 'in' your business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/i-ve-said-it-for-four-decades-work-on-your-business-not-just-in-your/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [If you expect to grow your business, you need to be plotting out your schedules days in advance. Until you get that most basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-you-expect-to-grow-your-business-you-need-to-be-plotting-out-your/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Growing your own business is great. Watching your ideas come to life, taking care of new customers and watching them become repeat customers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/growing-your-own-business-is-great-watching-your-ideas-come-to-life/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [You can't be the accountant in your accounting firm. You can't cut the grass in your landscaping business. You can't work on the vehicles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/you-can-t-be-the-accountant-in-your-accounting-firm-you-can-t-cut-the/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [If everybody's doing everything, then who's accountable for anything?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/if-everybody-s-doing-everything-then-who-s-accountable-for-anything/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Without concentration, a business will be ordinary in every respect, because it will have no presence, no inner force, no way to attract the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/without-concentration-a-business-will-be-ordinary-in-every-respect/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [When I say, 'doin' it, doin' it, doin' it' to a group of small business owners, they immediately respond. They recognize the experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/when-i-say-doin-it-doin-it-doin-it-to-a-group-of-small-business/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [“The natural tendency of man is to remain unconscious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-natural-tendency-of-man-is-to-remain-unconscious/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [There are three things that can be organized: time, space, and work. Note that, despite what many believe, you cannot organize people - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/there-are-three-things-that-can-be-organized-time-space-and-work-note/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [The world of the small business owner is all about moving multiple items forward at once, and it's a fool's errand to believe one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/the-world-of-the-small-business-owner-is-all-about-moving-multiple/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Entrepreneurship requires an unvanquished spirit of curiosity, an openness to learning, a letting go of OldCo so you're free to create NewCo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/entrepreneurship-requires-an-unvanquished-spirit-of-curiosity-an/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Here's the problem with phones - they are a ready-made diversion from the considerably harder work of growing a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/here-s-the-problem-with-phones-they-are-a-ready-made-diversion-from/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

> [Systems permit ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results predictably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/systems-permit-ordinary-people-to-achieve-extraordinary-results/)

[Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

[Explore all 122 Michael Gerber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/)

## More Big idea quotes

> [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I really like Kickstarter because you don't have to be a Medici to fund the arts and sciences or to get behind a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/i-really-like-kickstarter-because-you-don-t-have-to-be-a-medici-to/)

[Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/)

> [Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/believe-in-something-larger-than-yourself-get-involved-in-the-big/)

[Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/)

> [“You want the story of my life? Big ideas, small results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-stanwyck/you-want-the-story-of-my-life-big-ideas-small-results/)

[Barbara Stanwyck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-stanwyck/)

> [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [The only big ideas I've ever had came from daydreaming, but modern life keeps people from daydreaming. Every moment of the day your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-maccready/the-only-big-ideas-i-ve-ever-had-came-from-daydreaming-but-modern/)

[Paul MacCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-maccready/)

> [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-laugh-at-me-because-i-use-big-words-but-if-you-have-big-ideas/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [I've never been shy about big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/i-ve-never-been-shy-about-big-ideas/)

[Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/)

> [“The path to success involves two parts. Part One is all about imagination and dreaming up a big idea. Part Two is all about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-clark/the-path-to-success-involves-two-parts-part-one-is-all-about/)

[Clay Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-clark/)

> [You never know when some small thing will lead to a big idea. Travel is very inspirational - but it's in the ordinary that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/you-never-know-when-some-small-thing-will-lead-to-a-big-idea-travel/)

[Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/)

> [The job of the leader is to get the big ideas right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/the-job-of-the-leader-is-to-get-the-big-ideas-right/)

[David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/)

> [“There is a current perception is that science has overtaken Philosophy and in effect rendered Philosophy irrelevant. Science, when sufficiently abstracted, approaches Philosophy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-golway/there-is-a-current-perception-is-that-science-has-overtaken/)

[Tom Golway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-golway/)

> [I always tell people that revelling in big ideas for me is kind of like an antidote to existential angst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-always-tell-people-that-revelling-in-big-ideas-for-me-is-kind-of/)

[Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/)

[Browse all 254 Big idea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-idea/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea - a unique way to solve a customer's problem. Your customer, after all, is the only justification for creating a company in the first place. Without a big, transformational idea, you can't produce a great result for your customer.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Gerber"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins-with-a-big-idea-a-unique-way/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Big idea"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins-with-a-big-idea-a-unique-way/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/michael-gerber-3751_big-idea_a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins_2736271.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with a big idea - a unique way to solve a customer's problem. Your…” — Michael Gerber",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Gerber",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A true entrepreneurial enterprise begins with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins-with-a-big-idea-a-unique-way/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/a-true-entrepreneurial-enterprise-begins-with-a-big-idea-a-unique-way/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```