[clairity]

but then what would you call the people doing the enterprise? enterprisers?

i'm not necessarily defending "entrepreneur" but one would hope that the alternative would be shorter.

[mhartl]

You can still use "entrepreneur", which comes from same root as "enterprise" (ultimately from Middle French entreprendre, "to undertake").

    entrepreneur
    noun, plural entrepreneurs

    1. a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, 
    usually with considerable initiative and risk.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/entrepreneur

[clairity]

ah, ok. i had assumed the distaste was for all forms of the word. =)