Andrew Carnegie, Steve Jobs, Henry Ford, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, William “Bill” Gates. We know them as business magnates, the kings of business. But what is it about them that makes them successful? Are theses people born prodigies? Are they over-achievers? What is their personality like?
Entrepreneurs have the ability to bring about radical changes at various fronts. Core elements of an entrepreneur include: having the right attitude, being creative, efficiently handling and organizing resources, building authentic relationships, and not being afraid of failure.
Right Attitude
Having the right attitude entails being optimistic and sticking with your idea through the trials and tribulations. Being self-confident, self-motivated and having the grit and determination to see things through also are tools that an entrepreneur must have under their belt in order to be successful. They also possess an unshakable sense of purpose – Passion. Hard-work and resilience is their mantra. You should be able to define your “why” -why this idea? why entrepreneurship?
For me, my attitude entering into the world of entrepreneurship, was the desire to be different from others and put to use my passion for coding. I wouldn’t say that I was confident or optimistic early on I developed these skills on this journey.
Creativity
An entrepreneur tries to see things through a different lens. They are innovators; they start by looking at things around them and identifying how these things could be optimized to increase user satisfaction. You basically have to make money and make people’s day! Unleash your inner problem-solver and put on your thinking caps! Actively seek out opportunities and be and know that your imagination is limitless! The trait of being a creative person is crucial to bringing your dreams to reality.
Authentic relationships
Another important trait of an entrepreneur is to develop the ability to establish a strong network of people around themselves. The ability to be willing to talk and listen to everyone (especially key stakeholders: customers, partners, business owners, etc) is key to being a great entrepreneur. Friends, professionals, colleagues, family are your support and the people who you can turn to for help. For an entrepreneur their team is their strongest asset. The power of persuasion is another art that an entrepreneur can acquire in order to attain success.
Staying Organised
Efficiently organizing resources is key to managing time and ensuring that right things are being done at the right time. Entrepreneurs need to acquire the skill of making a schedule an prioritizing certain tasks over others. Organizing resources and the team is also essential to ensure maximum productivity.
Not Afraid to Fail
Failure, the “F” word in the world of entrepreneurship. It’s something every entrepreneur comes across. But it truly isn’t a failure as long as you learn from it- use that failure to your advantage. Failure should not be viewed as a closure, but instead as a new beginning; a beginning with new perspectives and learnings from previous mistakes. Failure is a stepping stone on the pathway to success. These rough times are what help entrepreneurs build grit and determination to see that their business takes off. Failure also teaches an entrepreneur acceptance: honesty and willingness to answer questions will also build a stronger team mentality. In the words of Jessica Herrin, founder and CEO of Stella and Dot, “You have to see failure as the beginning and the middle, but never entertain it as the end.”
Entrepreneurship is priceless journey: new bonds, new learnings, new experiences every single day. Every night I go to bed with beautiful memories of the adventure I have embarked on. Being an entrepreneur is challenging and requires one to set foot outside their comfort zone, but the journey sure is rewarding.
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