Notes from Startup Chile: Punishing failure and holding back entrepreneurs

The biggest thing holding back entrepreneurship in Chile is that Chileans fear failure. Jesse and I have heard the same refrain over and over from entrepreneurs, academics and government officials, so what do they have to be scared of? Chilean culture punishes failure. Many Chileans believe that if an entrepreneur starts a business and fails, the entrepreneur must be stupid, lazy or stole the money. Or a combination of all three!