An Entrepreneur is a person who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. The word originates from old French, from the verb Entreprendre which means to undertake.  It is thought to be adopted to English in late 1800s.

The word entrepreneur has now become a household-name in English language –known and used in conversations way beyond just the business community.  But there are many variations also in use in the form of “neologism.”

Here are some examples:

Mompreneur: A female entrepreneur who is actively balancing the role of mom and the role of entrepreneur on a daily basis.

Solopreneur: An entrepreneur who works alone, (hence “solo”) and runs his or her business as a one-person-show. A solopreneur may subcontract persons and consultants, yet have full responsibility for the running of their business without an operational team.  With the power of the internet, there are many thriving, successful solopreneurs.

Soulpreneur: An entrepreneur who has turned his or her passion into a business, and runs it from the heart, can be described as a soulpreneur.  Also used for folks who are in the business of meditation, yoga, massage therapy, life coaching etc. (…thanks to Ali Rodriguez for her contribution/reminder about this particular entrepreneur neologism).

Youngpreneur: A school-age (middle school, high school or college age) entrepreneur is often referred to as a youngpreneur –typically used for an entrepreneur who is under 21 years old.  Youngpreneurs maybe inexperienced entrepreneurs, trying to get their first fledgling business venture going, or may be the owners of a multi-million business already.

Ideapreneur: An entrepreneur who is good at creating new, interesting and innovative ideas, and who can realize them.  The ability to move an idea from ideation stage to execution is the key to be an ideapreneur.  Otherwise one would only become a “wannapreneur” or an “ideawannapreneur.”

Intrapreneur: An employee or an executive of a corporation who thinks, acts, and operates with entrepreneurial spirit.  An intrapreneur takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation.  The word derives from intracorporate entrepreneur.  Spencer Silver and Art Fry –the folks who made the Post-It Notes happen at 3M make good examples for intrapreneurship.

Wannapreneur: A person who talks about (and even actually comes up with) ideas for business, talks about owning and running a business enterprise, but never takes the step to do so.  A wannapreneur may behave like an entrepreneur, attend entrepreneur events, talk to others about his or her ideas, follow and share entrepreneur news; but prefers not to take the risk associated with becoming an entrepreneur –always staying at that ideation stage, and expecting results from it.