First, what exactly is an entrepreneur?
Well, Wikipedia defines it like this:
“An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business
enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.”
And this would be kind of correct.
But for the sake of argument, let’s say there is an
“entrepreneur” stuck in a job or maybe school, just itching to bust out and
start their own business. Do we wait to call them an entrepreneur after
they’ve started their own business?
For example, before Steve Jobs or Bill Gates dropped out of
college, would anyone have defined them as entrepreneurs?
Looking back, I would say these guys were probably born
entrepreneurs.
Now did they pop out at birth and immediately set up a
lemonade stand in the delivery room of the hospital charging the nurses 50
cents a cup?
Well, in reality - probably not.
But who would deny they were pumped full of the
entrepreneurial “mindset” since birth? I wouldn’t deny it. Not one
bit.
So what’s the point? Well, the point is you can be an
entrepreneur in mind and heart, but be stuck at the moment waiting for your
time in the spotlight.
If this is you, then yes — go ahead and call yourself an
entrepreneur. The sooner you just admit it, and then work to do something
about it, the better we’ll all be.
So, whether you’re an entrepreneur in-waiting, or you’re a
full blown rhino of a business guru charging through the jungle, I’ve got a
list of killer traits for you.
The question is: How many of these do you have?
Well, let’s find out…
1. Abounding Curiosity
Yes, curiosity. And no, not like “curiosity
killed the cat”. Goodness. Let’s not get carried away here.
You don’t want to do something to get yourself killed.
But if you think about it – entrepreneurs are curious
little devils, aren’t they?
Every true entrepreneur I’ve ever met has been full of
curiosity.
Always wondering about things. Taking stuff apart to
see how it works. Asking people questions about their likes and dislikes.
Questioning why we keep doing things the same old way when maybe there is
a better way. And on and on.
So, are you a curious one? In my mind, you’ve got to
be.
And here’s the fun part on curiosity:
Curiosity means asking questions. Asking questions
inspires learning. Learning births total domain knowledge and customer
understanding. Total domain knowledge and customer understanding leads to
one rockin’ entrepreneur.
Yes? :-)
2. Bursting with Creativity
So what’s a match made in heaven? Sing with me…
“Curiosity and creativity sittin’ in a tree…
k-i-s-s-i-n-g….. first comes love, then comes
marriage….”
Well, you get the point. They’re like two peas in a
pod. Curiosity + Creativity.
Not only do you have to be curious as an entrepreneur, you
must also be creative. Isn’t that the essence of entrepreneurism?
You know, to create stuff?
New products. New solutions. New ways.
Willing to think of all possibilities. Almost like a child.
Seriously, our little children are more creative then we are
sometimes. You know, drawing cows jumping over the moon and making
play-houses out of sticks and rocks.
Just resolve to be like them.
Chatting with top-dog entrepreneur Sam Blackman (Co-Founder and
CEO of Elemental
Technologies) recently, he told me flat-out:
“The ability to be creative as an entrepreneur is a
must”.
And the really cool thing about this marriage of curiosity
and creativity?
As you become more curious by asking questions and learning,
it actually opens your mind to creativity.
So have no fear if you suffer a little in the creativity
department — just start being more curious and voilà; up pops your
creative juices. See — a match made in heaven.
3. Clarity of Vision
We’ve all heard this one: “Well, that guy is just a
real visionary. Entrepreneurial genius at its best.”
Big picture vision is a funny thing. I think you
either have it, or you don’t. You either see beyond the trees and into
the forest, or you don’t.
You simply need vision as an entrepreneur. And more
importantly? Clarity around that vision.
Crucial to have a crystal clear vision of who you are; what
you want to do; and where you want to go.
And the funny thing about getting clarity around your
vision? That’s where it starts. In the beginning. Just you
and your clear vision.
Think of it as a beacon of light. Guiding you on your
journey. And without it? Smack dab in no-man’s land a thousand
miles from where you wanted to be.
And believe me, that’s a bummer.
4. Ability to Communicate
You can have the brightest idea on the planet. The
next great invention to rival Edison. An idea so powerful it blows
anything Steve Jobs ever came up with away.
But if you can’t communicate it? Might as well pack
your bags and go home.
The ability to communicate effectively is huge for you and I
as entrepreneurs. We must be clear; concise; easy to understand.
Both in writing and verbally.
Why is this so important? Well, because communication
affects influence. Communication affects relationships.
Communication affects results.
The really cool thing about communication is you can learn
how to do it better. It’s a necessary trait, but one you can master with
practice.
Not a good communicator? Practice starts at 8am
tomorrow morning my friend…
5. Leadership Acumen
Just like we
discovered from Brandon Mills – you and I can’t be
successful as one man bands. Now yes, we can call ourselves
“solopreneurs”. But are we really? Are we really able to do
everything ourselves?
I think not. Even with no employees, you definitely
have a team of others working on your behalf.
Vendors, partners, mentors, contractors, and more.
You must be able to lead them. Now again the great
thing about the leadership trait is you can learn to do better. If you
stink as a leader, don’t fret. You can learn how to be great. You
can learn how to lead with fire and passion.
Again, practice starts tomorrow morning at 8. :-)
6. Loving Risk and Taking Action
Now it’s getting fun. Risk.
Wow. Love that word. Just saying it brings a
whole host of feelings…
Maybe you feel excited when you hear it? Sitting there
conjuring up images of fast cars and base jumping. Get your heart
pounding? Can’t wait to strap it on and feel the rush of adrenalin
pouring through your blood? Yikes. You’re a shoe-in for an entrepreneur.
Or, perhaps the feeling crawling up the back of your neck is
one of fear: Fear of stepping out. Fear of making a fool of
yourself. Fear of risking — and then losing it all.
Here’s the bottom line: Your tolerance for risk has to
be low. It doesn’t matter if you figure out ways to “mitigate” risk
(which you should), or you spend 10 years in the planning stage of business
(plan yes, 10 years – no), in the end; you have to get off your tail and take
action. Period.
Entrepreneurs take risks. They take action. Each
one may have a slightly different risk meter, but when the time comes; they
step out of their comfort zone and risk through taking action.
I mean seriously — your company is not going to build itself
while you sit there on the couch eating bon-bons.
So get up; throw the bon-bons in the trash; and do
something. Will you?
7. Tenacious Beyond Belief
True entrepreneurs never, never, never quit. Never.
Like a bull-dog latched onto a bone. Like a mountain
lion with its jaws around the neck of a deer. You’re not prying any of
this loose. And the same goes for trying to hold a good entrepreneur
down. Not going to happen.
Tenacity is the crème de la crème trait you must
have as an entrepreneur. My VC buddy Dino told me straight
up several months ago:
“The number one trait you find in all successful
entrepreneurs is tenacity. Just the sheer will to keep going, even when
things look impossible.”
Are things going to look impossible for you as an
entrepreneur? You better believe it. Will you feel like giving up
and throwing in the towel? Absolutely. But do you need to fight off
the urge to quit and keep pressing on? YES!
Here’s the deal on this last trait: You can probably
squeeze by with mediocre levels of each of the other traits on this list.
But if you’re a day late and dollar short in the tenacity department?
You’re as good as done. You’re pretty much dry toast.
Why? Well because you quit silly. You gave up.
You handed your entrepreneur badge and gun back in.
So keep fighting when you feel like quitting. Be
tenacious. You’ll get there. You’ll be the best entrepreneur you
can be. Right?
