Yesterday, I overheard a conversation that really fired me up. I tried to forget about it, but as much as I tried, it continued to gnaw at me, and I realized I was deeply affected by it. Since my mom’s mantra was always,

“You are not allowed to complain about something unless you are going to do something about it,”
@jengroover (Click to Tweet!)

I decided my solution, for now, would be this rant, to hopefully wake up some repulsive and, quite honestly, dangerous ignorance in this world and hopefully create a bigger, louder conversation for people who create toxic energy and judge and bash others (who are doing good in the world) to consider what they are saying and the damage they are doing before they say anything.

The statement I heard was from a woman I know, bashing a fellow entrepreneur colleague/friend of mine, saying, “I am so sick of seeing all her posts about her business everyday, constantly broadcasting what she is doing. It’s so annoying. Who cares?”

Now, as an entrepreneur, who is an advocate for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, it took EVERYTHING I had in me not to lose my composure and tell this women what I thought was so annoying about what she just said. After much thought and gained composure, I am now responding, not just to her, but loud and clear to all who have made a similarly ignorant statement like hers, so behaviors like this can be brought to light and hopefully can be turned around.

It goes something like this…

Dear Entrepreneur Basher, Dream Basher, and Economy Basher:

Apparently you do NOT understand how the economy of this world works. Perhaps you haven’t heard that the economy of the United States of America was built by dreamers and believers, people who risked everything to create opportunity for others. Perhaps you also didn’t realize that in every news report, as the economy plummeted, the plea was for small business owners to continue to grow because that is STILL how we grow our economy.

Unsure of who will be the next “Google Guys” or the next Bill Gates—who also dreamed and believed and took many chances and created economic opportunity for MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people ALL OVER THE WORLD—we need to SUPPORT ALL small business owners and encourage them as the heroes they are, for also taking massive risks, often going for years without paying themselves, while creating jobs and opportunities for others.

PERHAPS you do not understand the flow of economy because you were secure in your job with a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck, benefits, and other perks to realize that while you were bashing your fellow peers, the company you work for was spending thousands or millions of dollars to MARKET, PROMOTE, and ADVERTISE (and yes, probably even on Facebook!) the products and/or services of the brand so that YOU have a JOB! I will also assume, you never stopped to realize that EVERY product and service that you use, including your Starbucks coffee this morning, the car you drove to work in, the outfit you are wearing today, and the house you will go to sleep in tonight, ALL stem from the risk of an entrepreneur, who dreamed, believed, and took risks to give you an opportunity. Oh, and they ALL had to market, promote, and advertise in order to succeed, or they would have failed, and then their economic misfortune affects the depletion of economic stimulation in this country.

So until you have enough courage to walk in the shoes of an entrepreneur and are willing to take the same financial risks, go without pay for potentially years, and work twenty-hour days for seven days a week without any “guarantees,” you should stop bashing. Instead of spewing toxic negative energy at innocent people who work tirelessly, creating opportunities that affect you directly and indirectly, who are also the largest demographic of social good people in the world, who collectively invest much of their earnings into making the world a better place AND in their free time spend much of their money investing in themselves—and I am not talking shoes and stuff; I am talking about personal development investment, to be the best they can be everyday because so many people rely on them—you should celebrate them.

What I suggest going forward is you praise these people, support them, encourage them, “like” their “business posts,” and share them and show massive gratitude as a whole for the fact that you have a job and all the luxuries you enjoy daily. For without entrepreneurs, these things wouldn’t exist. And one more important thing: if they become rich doing it, APPLAUD and applaud loudly! Because if that’s the case, they are employing more people, donating more money, and stimulating more economic opportunities.

While I have a lot more to say, I must now go to post some “annoying business stuff” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to fulfill my life’s purpose and inspire and empower people and hopefully have support of my fellow peers, since no one else gives me a paycheck but myself.

Sincerely,

A hard-working, believer, dreamer, supporter, and encourager to ALL!

Top media mogul and business expert Jen Groover has been tagged by Success Magazine as a “One-Woman Brand” and “Creativity and Innovation Guru” and as a leading “Serial Entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine. She has gone from guest hosting spots on QVC to linking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights. Jen is a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major networks, such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, and The CW. You can also connect with Jen on Facebook and Twitter.

*Image courtesy of UK in Canada.