My favorite American entrepreneur

My favorite entrepreneur – I believe is Howard Hughes (Revised Version)




I never have thought about this question before, which American entrepreneur I admire the most. I believe I never have developed admiration for an entrepreneur in general. Even though the case is that I am deeply impressed by the ingenuity of the American entrepreneur, so much that I feel inspired to become an entrepreneur myself; but I never had an entrepreneur as an icon before.

However, after I gave it some thought the only person that seemed interesting enough to me was the great innovator, entrepreneur, and film maker Howard R. Hughes Jr. Howard Hughes was born on December 24, 1905 in Houston, Texas as heir to the Hughes Aircraft enterprise. Hughes was born into a wealthy family, enjoyed the prestige that comes with that. But as it happens in life, Hughes loses his parents in a young age. Because he was the only child, he was the only heir to the enterprise which he completely innovated and lead to new aviation industry frontiers.

The reason why I picked Howard Hughes is because of his personality. In particular, his resourcefulness, his ability to combine the skills he had, and his boldness when he did business. The only thing Hughes and I share, as I see it, is the ability to aim and stay on course until you have reached the goal you aimed for. I am not an heir to a multi-national enterprise (MNE) nor am I rich, but I still feel a connection and admiration towards Howard Hughes.

Hughes was an important innovator of the aviation industry, he did not just loved and enjoyed flying but Hughes also set several aviation records. To add to Hughes accomplishments, he revolutionized Trans-World and Intercontinental air traveling. A very profitable consequence of this aviation revolution was Hughes expansion of business activities. That means that Hughes recognized the new market and penetrated through to make the most out of his passion, aviation. Hughes’s personality seemed to attract people’s interest in what it is he was doing. The arrogant, bold and intelligent Howard Hughes was able to win friends and influence people. It was important for his career to be influential, because of the ground breaking innovations Hughes wanted to advertise and market. In his biography, Aviator, Hughes was not just eccentric but also charming and a womanizer. All these attributes helped him succeed in business.


Howard Hughes was not just an innovator for the aviation industry he also revolutionized Hollywood by creating to most high-profiled film productions of his age. Movies like Hells Angels, Scarface, and The Outlaw were productions that blew the budget and even caused some controversy. Hughes’s skill for business and passion for perfection made him to one of the most famous and important industrialists, billionaire, and film maker of the late 20th century. The many interests of Hughes make it a little difficult to identify the initial market his corporation targeted at the beginning. But, since the company he inherited was an aviation company. I would say that the initial market Howard Hughes penetrated and got to control was the airplane manufacturing industry. The company had contracts with the government and supplied the military with aircrafts and aircraft parts. The ‘beachhead’ for Hughes was the US government contracts he had. He was the big fish in a small pound, because there were not many manufacturers that competed with Hughes. The reputation for quality and innovation his enterprise has built up was just a stepping stone to invade the mainstream market, to put it in the terms used in - Crossing the Chasm. A market that resulted from his innovative aircrafts was the intercontinental traveling, which Hughes came to discover and dominate for years. Ultimately, Howards Hughes, one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the world, suffered from a mental condition that never was diagnosed or treated. And this illness spiraled out and caused Hughes to isolate himself and manage his enterprise from his room equipped with a telephone.
During one of Hughes test flights he experienced an accident and suffered until his death from an injury on his back caused by that plane crash. This injury seriously handicapped his life. An addition to his pain suffrage was also Hughes undiagnosed and untreated obsessive-compulsive-disorder (OCD).

My ambitions to become an entrepreneur are based on my will to accomplish my goals not the goals of others with dreams and ideas. I want to develop my skills and become better whatever it is I shell decide to do. I have many ideas and interests, as Hughes successfully lived his American dream, so I want to live my American dream. Combining my interests and develop competitive skills that can innovate and revolutionize an industry. That is why I thought Howard R. Hughes Jr. is an entrepreneur I want to admire.

















Sources:

http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/485:0/Howard_Hughes.htm

http://www.famoustexans.com/howardhughes.htm

http://www.socalhistory.org/Socalhistory.org%20_mainfolder/Biographies/Hughes_Howard/Howard_hughes.htm