This article is written and owned by K. MacKillop
The idea of working for yourself has a strong draw for many people. Tired of lacking control over their work life, tired of being ordered around and under appreciated, tired of waiting for the boss to reward their efforts, starting a business sounds like a better and better option. But is entrepreneurship for everyone? Is it for you?
The short answer is — it depends. Annoying, but true. There is no cut and dried definition for what makes a successful entrepreneur, and history has shown that all types of people, from all types of backgrounds, with all types of belief systems and education levels have found a way to succeed on their own. Experts have been searching for that one feature of an individual’s knowledge or personality that makes the difference, and different experts come up with different answers. The reality is that there is no right answer.
Can anyone succeed as an entrepreneur? Probably not. There are some people who just seem unable to be self-motivated, unable to stay focused on a single endeavor, unable to manage stress and time crunches, unable to…whatever. But anyone who is willing to take honest stock of their own personality and knowledge, and is willing to make changes and learn has a pretty good chance.
The most successful entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily big risk-takers. Entrepreneurship is all about mitigating risk — identifying what could go wrong and taking steps to keep that from happening. They tend to be strong self-motivators, or at least know what they need to stay motivated and figure out a way to keep it at the forefront. Some use rewards, like an afternoon off or a new toy, some simply post photos of the family. But staying focused and on track is an absolute necessity if you are going to turn your business idea into a lasting, profitable venture.
Entrepreneurs must have a drive to learn new things. Most people cannot claim to be experts in every aspect of running a business, but every business owner should have a solid grasp of how it all works, how it all fits together, and what it all means to their own business. It is possible, and even recommended by some business “experts”, to outsource every part of the business unrelated to your core competencies, but doesn’t that defeat the purpose of owning your own business? It’s your business, your risk, and your future, so doesn’t it make sense that you should understand all the pieces of it? Learning business basics is a key to success, but one often overlooked by new business owners.
One of the keys to entrepreneurship is finding innovative ways to set your business apart from the competition. To accomplish that, you need to understand the ins and outs of every step of your operations and business practices, study the ins and outs of your competitors, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry. A good business leader seeks out alternative viewpoints and conflicting perspectives, takes in all the information, and comes up with new ideas that improve efficiency, customer service, or any other aspect of the venture.
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? That’s a question only you can answer. Spend some time reading articles from various sources about what it means to be an entrepreneur. Try to assess the information with an unbiased, open mind. That is, don’t just look for the pieces that support what you already thought, but consider opposing ideas and decide for yourself if working for yourself is really what you want to do. Any “expert” worth their salt will tell you that you really, really have to want it in order to succeed as an entrepreneur.
About the Author-K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur with a J.D. from Duke University, is founder of LaunchX and blogs about starting a business. The LaunchX System for Business Start up is designed to help entrepreneurs start a business based on any business idea. Visit LaunchX.com for a free workbook to help you choose a business idea.
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