An intrapreneur doesn’t quit her job to do her own thing. Instead, she develops a new process, product or service within the context of a larger organization. Using the resources and capabilities of the larger firm, an intrapreneur transforms a good idea into a profitable venture.
Experts have been advising the still-employed these days to find ways to be more valuable to their firms. And if you’re an entrepreneur at heart, creating something new for your employer is a good start — and a way to test your mettle for a future solo venture.
The good news is, intrapreneurship is catching on. Google has long been an advocate. Products like Gmail, Google News, and Adsense resulted from its Innovation Time Off program, in which employees are able to devote 20% of their work day to independent endeavors. Other organizations, including marketing and engineering firms, are eager to follow Google’s lead.
The best way to launch your career as an intrapreneur is to come up with a clever concept that will move your organization forward in some way. “Your goal is to create a product that two guys in a garage would build to kill your company,” says Guy Kawasaki, an author and co-founder of Alltop, a Web news site.
Once you’ve identified an idea, your next step is to do any necessary research and design a prototype. If your idea is a process — for example, a time-saving system for getting client contracts developed and signed — put it to paper and test it out.
Continue Reading: “‘Insider’ Entrepreneurs”
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