I have been preoccupied, often lately, with the question: what of what I did, I decided, I chose, it brought me here, to 27 years of entrepreneurship, that is, to more than 3 times the average lifespan of an entrepreneurial business in Romania.

Honestly, I am concerned with this question for two reasons: one is selfish and one selfless. The selfish refers to perpetuating good habits and thus continuing the business they run. The disinterested pursues the need to share and contribute to the success of others, a need that has become increasingly important lately.

I was surprised by the evidence of an aspect that I had the chance to feel and experience all these years without spending too much time in naming it clearly. From then on, I turned this valuable and tiring thought on all sides at the same time, until I managed to define it: Love is what underlies my determination and concentration. Love for what they do, for the people and for the community in which they live. Therefore, I want to bring my personal resources in support of goals that do not even seem to have a direct connection with me. Of course, the springs of self-satisfaction and feelings of fulfillment are extremely personal and individual. But I’m talking about a general attitude, a deeper feeling, more than the pursuit of certain goals. I’m talking about the warmth you feel when you’re in front of a new and bold project, when you’re in the middle of your team of tens or hundreds of people.

It took me about 40 years of life to begin to understand how different people are. I am a great observer of people in general and one of the great pleasures is to be somehow hidden in the crowd and to observe facial expressions, attitudes, behaviors and gestures. The fact that we are so different, in addition to making life so interesting, also gives us a practical and unique space for development and a path of our own. That’s why I slowly, more slowly become quieter at meetings with friends, preferring to listen than to talk, imagine and study than to convince. Of course, that makes me more and more disliked and makes me think of those grumpy, silent old men.

We are not even remotely similar and when it comes to what drives us in our initiatives for which we bring resources, risk and become active, the differences are even greater. However, I believe that one of the most important fuels for entrepreneurs is Love. Without love, everyone would only pursue their own specific goal, they would cannibalize, their empathy and interest in the land we occupy would completely disappear. Without Love, including the business environment would be incredibly petty.

We all start with certain expectations and desires and those who are willing to take risks turn into entrepreneurs. I cannot forget and deny that what brought me on this path 27 years ago was necessity. But that’s not what kept me in this industry for so long, that’s not what prompted me to grow the company to 1,500 employees. But Love for everything around me, translated into the desire to provide happiness and security to the more than 1,500 families who are based on the business they still grow, to contribute to the development of industry and other leaders, other businesses. That’s why I drove 400 km over a weekend to talk in front of some high school students and I will continue to do so.

Fuel is needed to fuel the burning of an entrepreneur! The rest is technique, experience, chance… Success is temporary and the threat continues, good and bad times follow one another and something is needed to keep this mechanism alive. I don’t claim to have discovered the only fuel, but I strongly believe that “that something” that all entrepreneurs, leaders in general, and that keeps them alive is Love that makes them look at a goal that transcends their own interests. .

Otherwise, every day entrepreneurs return to their jobs with the same appetite for risk, with the same flexibility in thinking, contributing to stability and economic growth. It seems that there is plenty of fuel in the Universe to fuel their energetic thoughts, firm actions, falls, and rebirth.

The article was also published on forbes.ro