Why does it seem like every (most) entrepreneurs look down on people?

I dont think it’s exclusively for entrepreneurs… as I’ve never met any myself, but, I’ve met similar people who talk it all up, are competitive, and belittle those around them. It stinks. You dont have to behave like that to get on in life.
I just call them all assholes….

I know entrepeneurs who come acoss as very confident, but I would not say I feel they look down on other people. I am sure there are some who do, just like any profession. Seems to me it would be more about an individuals personality, not whether he is an entrepeneur or not. Although, business owners do tend to be risk takers, which takes some guts. They many times know their entire business and industry very well, and so when talking to them it might seem they feel they “know everything.” They probably do know a tremendous amount about the work they do.

I own apartments and used to be really active in the local Apartment Association. I was appalled at the disdain a majority of the owners had for our customers. I spent a lot of time leading training seminars and I almost always tried to emphasize that the best profits are made when we treat our residents like valued customers. For some reason all they wanted to do was complain about the one dirtball who trashed their apartment instead of focusing on the 20 residents who paid their rent every month and created their return on investment.
I just don’t get it. They were feeding into the “Snidley Whiplash” stereotype of the overbearing landlord.

I have tremendous respect for intelligent and creative people who’d rather forge their own path than walk in others’ footsteps. The attributes that enable them to think “outside the box” and take risks (e.g. self-confidence, curiosity, ambition, etc) can be a handful, but I try to never take it personally. Too much good has come from these wonderful folks to fault them if they come off a bit cocky. (As far as I’m concerned, they have a right to be.) I like to think of entrepreneurs as being just like incredibly talented, but temperamental, artists.

I have never found them to be the way you explain it. Like has been stated they are needed if for nothing else to better mankind with ideas that they bring forward.

I don’t think you can even say most entrepreneurs “look down on others”.

@Judi Don’t you find that among many in the medical profession with their patients? And, some high level executives?

@chk8n, not sure I can answer your question without knowing more about your experience.

I’ve heard this before; the worst business to go into is a consulting business for small business owners, and I cringe every time someone tries to sell me on some sort of consulting. Small business entrepreneurs are self starters, self directed, and self supported. They try to do it all to pinch pennies and protect whatever vision it is they are creating/selling. One of the pivot talents that distinguish one entrepreneur from another is how they translate and motivate others as to their vision, and if they do that badly I’d say they come across as you describe.

Also there are some out there that just have big heads because of the status the category alludes to. But as you pointed out the status or credit really shouldn’t be given till they are successful at their endeavor.

Hopefully some of this gives you some perspective. If you would like to tell us a lot more where or how you got this impression we could answer more specifically.

That is the mindset one should out on…

To appear to have made it..otherwise you would not be convincing enough.

And to add that those with the same mindset usually respect that in them…because that is tthe way to for these kind..

I agree with Kess, there is a lot of fronting going on also.

Not all are like that – maybe some. You need a certain amount of confidence to be an entrepreneur.
I like the quiet, unassuming ones..

Many are like that because they are extremely arrogant and have a high sense of self worth that makes them think they are better people than then those who make less then they do. Some of them were also born into wealth and do not know what it is like to actually want something.

I have found that old money, I mean REAL money people (Over 20 million net worth or so) are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. It’s the recent millionaires that tend to get attitudinal

@judi, I like the word attitudinal. :) Its also regional as some parts of the country the wealthy or entrepreneurs fluant it and in others they hide it.

I don’t agree with the premise of your question at all. Perhaps there is another common denominator among those that you feel look down on people.

It’s not limited to entrepreneurs, and some of the people who hold that attitude are not rich (though most seem to be pretty well off).

Some have the attitude that if they managed to succeed through hard work and you are not successful then it is because you are lazy and/or stupid. In fact, that seems to be the most common type.

Some have no idea what life is like for normal people; either they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth or they forgot their former life once they got rich.

Some have a “whats mine is mine” attitude and don’t see why they should help anyone else. Personally, I am in favor of denying fire and police protection to those types, and making them do CPR on themselves if they need it. That attitude seems common amongst Conservatives regardless of economic status. A subset/sibling of that is the group that embraces Darwinism to the extent that those who can’t help themselves should get no help at all.

As much as I like to bash certain groups, I feel compelled to bring up one point in their defense; every group has at least a few assholes.

I know, and have known many entrepreneurs, very successful ones at that & I find it hard to think of one who behaves as you described.

On the contrary, entrepreneurs are generally more receptive to people, and even charismatic. Those characteristics are what help them to find investors/support/ and followers who lead them to success. I have noticed though, that people who do not have the guts and/or personality to take the risks and think as innovatively as entrepreneurs often feel intimidated by those type A personalities that are successful at what they do, and they stereotype them this way (or maybe project these images on them to make themselves feel better).

I am not trying to attack or accuse the OP of this, but I think it’s another (and likely realistic) way to look at the interactions.

Also, to be an entrepreneur who will realize any success, you should have the capacity to focus on the successes instead of the failures of what you do, which could also possibly lead to some of the perceptions you describe.

@mrrich724 I don’t entirely agree, though I do believe that investment bankers, stock brokers, and other similar people in the finance sector are more guilty of that sort of derision than entrepreneurs.
I seriously think it depends on who we are talking about here. Then again, it’s easy for many people to ignore/forget about all of the pious, law-abiding, peaceful Muslims after 9/11, or all of the intelligent, rational Conservatives after being exposed to Glen Beck. maybe the OP has seen only the assholes?

Thanks jerv, Im a conservative entrepreneur (business owner) in the finance industry. wow, appreciate the generalizations.

@Season_of_Fall I go where experience and observation lead me, but seriously, just because one group is more likely to have a certain attribute than another doesn’t mean that most members of either group share that attribute, just as the majority of smokers don’t have lung cancer despite their increased risk. See what I’m saying here? If not, do the math, Either way, don’t take it personally.

Ya, but jerv I beleive the generally excepted goal of civil society these days is to refrain from prejudice, don’t you think? I’d be curious to know more of your vantage point. What is your area of expertise or what type of work do you do? Ya, know, you go ahead and have the last say, I’m kind of over arguing things over fluther right now. go for it.

@jerv I think it’s hard to make a statement on here w/o generalizing!

If the OP is exposed to THAT MANY entrepreneurs, I doubt he’s only seen a-holes. It’s just that some people seem only to acknowledge one side of any given equation.

Once a person has made up their decision about something, they seek only to see the facts that solidify their decision. Not necessarily by choice. . . that may be the case.

@mrrich724 Very true. That is why I am not passing judgment on investment bankers; not enough samples to draw a meaningful conclusion. I admit that I have my own prejudices, but only against groups where I have had a statistically meaningful exposure to, and even then, I find enough exceptions within those groups to give the benefit of a doubt,

To me it seems the opposite is true. Successful entrepreneurs appreciate their customers and potential customers.