Episode 140: Intrapreneur to Entrepreneur: Peter Beaumont’s Journey, Part I

Intrapreneurship (first used in 1978) is the act of behaving like an entrepreneur within a corporation. It is the act of being a corporate risk taker with a vision. (Elizabeth and Gifford Pinchot)

Intrapreneurship refers to entrepreneurial activity within a larger organization to create something new like a new product or service, or a new concept. In Peter Beaumont’s case, he facilitated Coca-Cola’s re-entry into the Middle East after a 22-year absence, and created a new distribution system for Philip Morris International, a leading tobacco company. Download

Intrapreneurship typically represents an organizational level effort to organize and manage an internally generated venture. An advanced level of team building skills are needed to advance ideas and internally organize the new development. 

Unlike an entrepreneur, who organizes innovation through their entity in the marketplace, intrapreneurs are savvy in working the corporate system to organize team leaders and use internal resources within the company to realize their vision. Intrapreneurs will put their employment at risk to forge ahead with a new idea while entrepreneurs put their own finances at risk. Both have an unnerving tolerance for risk, ambiguity, and uncertainty. Both have an uncanny ability to overcome obstacles and barriers and work to avoid devastating off ramps to find a pathway to marketplace success. Due to the razor-sharp vision needed to pull everything together, both entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs put close relationships at risk.

Peter’s life started out very tough in England: infantile eczema (stress induced), asthma, bullying in elementary school. You will hear how he used strategic thinking skills at an early age with his parents as mentors in overcoming obstacles.

Sports were an instrumental part of his upbringing and where Peter achieved success as a semi-professional soccer player. He grew up playing Cricket, Rugby, Soccer, Judo, and other sports. His parents were also athletes. His Dad was a Rugby player. His Mom became a Junior Wimbledon Tennis player. His sister, Barbara, lives with her husband, and their Dad (age 96) in New Zealand.

How did an Ordinary level British exam and an interaction with the Head Master shape his career choices? What were the career choice areas highlighted?

Starting out in a sales position with a cheese and dairy company led Peter to Coco-Cola. The introduction to business travel expanded his perspective of how Coca-Cola was growing its brand.

His first marriage allowed him to take advantage of a recruiting firm’s unique opportunity. A move to Bahrain in 1983, and into a marketing manager position with Philip Morris.

Hear the first part of Peter’s life. Gain insights into the shaping of an intrapreneurial mindset.

Mentoring Tips

After listening to our conversation answer the question and take action:

  • Are you curious to find out how intrapreneurial you are? You can take an Intrapreneurial Characteristics Appraisal I have developed, go to Contact Nancy
  • Write down important relationships that have helped shape you in your career so far. Contact them and thank them for the specific influence they have made in your life.
  • Now is the time to set-up an interview with me. WeMentor LABs are forming. Act today! Check out a WeMentor E.L.M. LAB!
  • Subscribe to this podcast. Subscribe Here

Intrapreneur to Entrepreneur: Peter Beaumont’s Journey, Part I    Episode 140    ConnXN Consulting

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Resources

  • David Allen Getting Things Done
  • Peter’s Blog Self-Awareness “Self-Awareness is the conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires. This means considering the impact our behavior has on others. If we notice positive or negative effects, the self-aware person will think more deeply about why they are acting the way they are and use the opportunity to adapt his or her behavior.
    • Peter highlights 7 signs of poor leadership: “1. bullying, 2. being defensive, 3. controlling, 4. passive aggressive, 5. bombastic (when leaders are over the top and demonstrate how confident they are in their ideas, plans, business, and when their strategies defy objective reasoning or goals that don’t pass the smell test), 6. overcompensating to appear like they have everything under control, and 7. making frequent excuses.”
  • Peter’s Book:  The Relationship Road Map
  • Intrapreneurship Resources and Books
    • Gifford Pinchot III (born December 29, 1942) is an American entrepreneur, author, inventor, and President of Pinchot & Company. He is credited with inventing the concept of intrapreneurship in a paper that he and his wife, Elizabeth Pinchot, wrote in 1978 titled Intra-Corporate Entrepreneurship while attending Tarrytown School for Entrepreneurs in New York.(Pinchot and Company)
    • Pinchot (1984) defined intrapreneurs as “dreamers who do. Those who take hands-on responsibility for creating innovation of any kind, within a business.” In 1992, The American Heritage Dictionary acknowledged the popular use of a new word, intrapreneur, to mean “A person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation.” (Wikipedia)
    • The intrapreneur is not to be confused with the “innerpreneur,” a person who aims at personal fulfilment more than at economic gains when creating a business.
    •              
    • Intrapreneuring: Why You Don’t Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur (Harper & Row, 1985) Read This Paper
    • The Intelligent Organization (Berrett Koehler, 1994)
    • Intrapreneuring in Action – A Handbook for Business Innovation by Gifford Pinchot, Ron Pellman
    • End of Bureaucracy and the Rise of the Intelligent Organization by Gifford Pincho
    • The Intelligent Organization by Gifford Pinchot

Podcast Guest Mentor

About Peter Beaumont. Peter is the Founder and Principal of ConnXN Consulting. He is in the midst of revising a book he authored in 2014 called, The Relationship Roadmap. The book is a 118-page comprehensive guide to building strategic relationships with clients.

He is a global leader and marketer, an author and speaker, trainer, facilitator, coach, EOS Implementer, and a Certified Value Builder. He is the Team behind your Team focused on increasing the value of small-sized to Fortune 500 companies. He works with an owner through the process of being freed up from daily operations, and allows visionaries to do what they do best, expand their reach.

He is also President of Twin Cities based Small Emerging Growth Companies organization where emerging to experienced leaders get refueled, reenergized with educational content, and the opportunity to build solid relationships.

Episode 140: Intrapreneur to Entrepreneur: Peter Beaumont’s Journey, Part I

Nancy A. Meyer, M.A.
Author: Nancy A. Meyer, M.A.

Nancy A. Meyer, M.A., is a seasoned entrepreneurial leader, business and life mentor/coach/teacher, podcaster, author, and certified mindfulness yoga and meditation integrator (she integrates those skill sets into everything). Nancy’s compassionate and collaborative approach reinforces resilience while maintaining accountable conversations supporting how you redefine your lead while redesigning your business. Nancy calls this “Dual Innovation Leadership.”   Nancy founded WeMentor, inc. in 1992 to change the leadership in our country by providing emerging and existing business owners with mentoring in Dual Innovation Leadership. She has mentored thousands and is eager to work with you! Assert self-leadership and get started today! Clients say, “Nancy is a compelling, engaging, and ‘decipher the trees from the forest’ kind of mentor, speaker, and leader. A dedicated entrepreneurial leader and mentor who role models what she preaches. Her style and candor enrich the content she delivers and the results clients experience.” Nancy accepts people where they are while inspiring them to breakthrough into new dimensions:  As an Entrepreneurial Leader (Innovator),  As a Competent Business Owner (Practitioner)  As a Mentor (Role Model)  As a Spiritual Being and Self-Leadership Master! Start by subscribing to WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST. Join your peers and...

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