There is one thing that is common about brands like The Huffington Post, Sun Media, Biocon, and HTC. They were all started by female entrepreneurs.
All successful brands started as a light bulb in someone’s head. What sets apart an idea from a successful company is the person behind it. From Oprah Winfrey to Sara Blakey, entrepreneurs seem to be a different breed.
Do you want to start a business? Here are 10 signs you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur:
1. Early Bloomer
Many entrepreneurs don’t wait to earn credentials or an education. They are driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and launch their ideas young. Jessica Scorpio started Getaround in her twenties—a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace that enables car owners to rent their cars.
2. Workaholic
Most people don’t rise to the top without hard work and determination. While people dream of starting their own business, that freedom brings a great deal of responsibility. If you want to start a business, you are the only one to make it succeed. Prepare yourself for long days, nights, and overtime.
3. Idea Generator
Paula Conway, founder of Astonish Media Group, says, “Entrepreneurs are always thinking and coming up with creative ideas.” According to Conway, “Each day is a new adventure for entrepreneurs, as they are constantly dreaming and creating new ventures in their minds.”
If you want to start a business, you’ll be the one leading innovation and developing services or products that can compete.
4. Comfortable with the Unknown
If you’re the type of person who likes routine and consistency, think twice about being an entrepreneur. Say goodbye to a 9 to 5 day job and steady paycheck.
Psychology instructor and co-founder of Surprise Industries, Tania Luna, says, “Entrepreneurs can handle the tension of the unknown, take action in the face of uncertainty, and embrace surprise.” She emphasizes that people who are born to be entrepreneurs, “Thrive in situations where anything can happen and there is no map with X marking success.”
5. Can’t be Told What to Do
Entrepreneurs hate working for someone else. If you don’t mind putting in longer hours working for yourself, you may have what it takes.
Mustafa Khalifa, CEO and founder of Boxer Watches, says entrepreneurs, “Don’t understand why they should work hard to build someone else’s dream when they can work hard building their own.”
6. Vision
Great leaders and business owners see the potential when others don’t. According to business coach Jaime Tardy, entrepreneurs can often see the potential to turn around a company when it isn’t doing well.
7. Yearn for Improvement
Do you always have ideas to make things better or more efficient? Teri Johnson, an executive coach who has started multiple companies, says people who are born to be business leaders automatically look for ways to improve processes and designs.
She says you might hear entrepreneurs say, “’They’d have more sales if they were more visible to the street,’ or ‘I love this product, but they need to improve their packaging.”
8. Work Ethic
“A born entrepreneur won’t shy away from doing the grunt work,” says Millie Tadewaldt, the managing director at Sandbox Industries. If you want to start a business, be prepared to do every part of a job—no matter how undesirable. You have to know how to do it all to be a good manager.
9. Problem-Solver
Entrepreneurs understand how to look for and address key issues. According to Holly Kile, a digital strategies architect, entrepreneurs, “Are not just naturals at coming up with solutions to problems—they also tend to identify problems before many people even see them, and then get the jump on creating the solution.”
10. Not Afraid to Fail
Entrepreneurs may be eternal optimists, but they’re also prepared to fail and learn from their mistakes. Business leaders like to test products and can handle the chance for failure. Bouncing back from a loss is a valuable skill in the entrepreneurial world.
So what about you? Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
Monika Beck
Monika Beck is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of Success Harbor a website for entrepreneurs. Success Harbor is dedicated to documenting the entrepreneurial journey through interviews, original research, and unique content. Monika Beck is also co-founder of a website designer and online marketing company.
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