Anyone can be an entrepreneur. Yet not everybody can be successful in it. You can have a business idea that is incredibly high in demand. But you also need the right traits as a person to not just keep your brand alive but also to take it to the next level. Interested to know what characteristics great entrepreneurs have? Read on to find out!
1. Thriftiness
As Natasha Munson, author, inspirational speaker and CEO of Be Magic, Inc. said, “Money, like emotions, is something you must control to keep your life on the right track.” If you want your business to succeed, save the profits to grow your brand.
Although it’s good to spend your hard-earned cash, you must do it mindfully. Don’t go broke trying to look or feel rich. There will be time to flex your hard work and it’s not in the early stages of entrepreneurship.
2. Creative thinking
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Dan Millman, author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior. There are some businesses similar to your niche and you will get outperformed if you stick to your old and trusted ways.
Dan Millman teaches us that if you want to change the results of your sales for the better, you must actively seek fresh concepts that will drive your business forward.
3. Trust and high regard for one’s self
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.
At times, people will doubt your decisions as a leader. Some will even challenge your authority to preserve their own interest. And if you also doubt yourself due to naysayers, then you’ve already lost the battle. This is the reason why Steve Jobs is called a “corporate dictator” and how he was able to save Apple from failing after its worst financial quarter back in 1996.
4. Open-mindedness and the will to keep on learning
Image source: Medium
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates. Stubbornness can be a good thing if you’re a genius. But too much of it can also be your downfall. Like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates is also a genius.
Although not as good as Steve when it came to innovation, Bill was one of the best when it came to seeing opportunities, programming, and deciding for a company’s overall finances. Yes. These two great men were polar opposites but Bill saved Steve’s company from bankruptcy – a move that paid off.
Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs taught us that sometimes, it’s better to deliver our customers’ needs and wants instead of our personal tastes. Even if we don’t want to.
These personal qualities don’t guarantee that if you have them, you will be successful as a business owner. They’re just guides on how previous methods have worked. You can still be your own type of entrepreneur. But if your style doesn’t work, you can always refer to this list.
Discover more on what it takes to be a successful solopreneur by reading the blog posts below.