It’s one thing to dream of having your own small business and being the conductor of your own destiny – and quite another to have the right blend of skills and character to do so successfully. Today we examine the entrepreneurs DNA closely, picking apart the key traits that enable them to thrive in business, while others fall dismally to the wayside.
Think you’ve got what it takes to be an entrepreneur and start your own business? Let’s find out…
If You’ve Got The Entrepreneurs DNA You…
1. Have A Wide Smattering Of Business Friendly Skills – While many people with business nuance have learned as they’ve gone on, entrepreneurs who are most likely to see success at the first swing of the bat will already have business friendly skills. This will include competence with numbers to help them with projections, pricing, the planning process and of course book keeping.
2. Enjoy Learning Everything About Business – Entrepreneurs typically possess a voracious appetite to absorb new business information and skills. Unlike some vocations, being the head honcho of your own business entails a willingness to embrace change, and so constantly learn to keep up with new technology and processes that must be embraced. Take online marketing for example – if you were to apply the same SEO techniques today as you did five years ago, Google’s spiders would push your SERPS right off its cliff edge. Entrepreneurs who fail to learn and keep up are bound to fail.
3. Have The Gift Of the Gab (Both Verbally And With The Pen) – Entrepreneurs are at their very core highly competent sales people. As a small business owner you’re going to have to convince people to buy your products. Many people feel uncomfortable when trying to sell to others – if this is you, you may actually struggle with business ownership. When we talk about the gift of the entrepreneurs gab, we mean more than just selling your wares. Entrepreneurs need to be able to sell ideas too – they need to be able to convince financiers that they are worth backing. They must motivate and inspire staff members. No place for shrinking violets in the game of business I’m afraid!
4. Are A Born Leader – You’re the head honcho of your own business empire. It does not matter if you’re starting from a tiny basement with just one person under you, or something rather grander. Entrepreneurs are leaders, not followers. They have an innate self belief – and they inspire confidence from those who work or trade under them too.
5. Are On The Cusp Of Being An Optimist And A Realist – The best entrepreneurs have their feet to the ground, but also believe in positivity. They can read the writing on the wall – but also possess the confidence and belief that hard work and the right actions can turn around any situation. Entrepreneurs also have a blend of street smarts and instinct about them – they recognize a good risk v reward investment and typically make the right decisions at the right moments to help their business grow.
6. Are Resilient – Very few businesses see their profits shoot up in a straight line from the word go. Most entrepreneurs will face problems and challenges from day one. The entrepreneurs DNA will be able to withstand a sharp one-two to the jaw from time to time, and still stay on their feet.
If you tick more of these boxes than not, your DNA is probably made of stern stuff – and being an entrepreneur might just fit you like a velvet glove.