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How is being an entrepreneur different from being a financier? Both are speculative. The financier invests dollars in risky schemes, the entrepreneur invests time and energy in them. If the scheme pans out, both get rich.

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Astute, but I think they are very significantly different: An entrepreneur is risking his own time and energy. Financiers are putting millions of other people's money at risk.

Edit: Seriously, markdown doesn't work?

Well, I'd argue that the financier is an employee of people who are voluntarily risking their capital. Similarly, a startup CEO is the employee of people who are voluntarily risking their capital.

Where other realistic options do people have to invest their money but to put it in the hands of a financier? Put it in a bank/retirement account it goes to/through the financiers.

The point really is that "risking your capital" is not in and of itself a productive activity -- making stuff is. I work as an investment analyst myself which is good in both the "fun" and "profit" departments, but I'm not about to pretend that I'm creating value for the world in any but the most indirect of ways.

Well, by matching investors with investments you are helping the market supply capital where it's needed.

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