Print Article for : Stories Of Successful Entrepreneurs

Your Online Guide » Startup Guide » Become An Entrepreneur

[S1043]Stories Of Successful Entrepreneurs

by Susan Martin, Sus

What makes a successful business owner or entrepreneur? Some say creativity, others say passion, organization, or leadership skills. The qualities that help make entrepreneurs successful range from the practical to the esoteric; from learned skills to natural tendancies, or the way you think, act and behave.

The qualities that make entrepreneurs successful often have to do with "big picture" skills like planning, acting and thinking strategically, or being able to create or envision something that doesn't exist yet.

Successful entrepreneurs also tend to be able to detach themselves from what's happening, get a bird's eye view, in order to get a new prospective and see what's really happening and what has to be done.

Here (in no particular order) are some of the most significant entrepreneurial characteristics:

? Energy and enthusiasm.
? A passion for what you do.
? The assertiveness to push forward your ideas.
? A love of novelty and new things.
? Take initiative to do what needs to be done.
? Creativity and imagination.
? Be a self starter, make things happen on your own.
? Be able to manage your time and be productive.
? Be really good at following-through.
? Be ready for anything that comes up.
? Think positively and believe in yourself.
? The ability to make decisions.
? Not be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help when needed.
? Effectiveness at persuasion.
? Problem solving skills.
? Ability to be flexible, adaptable, and creative.
? Think "out of the box".
? The ability to produce results.
? Ability to take risks and do so in a calculated way.
? Enjoy the ride, if you don't why bother?
? The ability to negotiate and compromise, not get so stuck that nothing moves forward.
? An exacting and exhaustive mentality.
? An appropriate sense of urgency.
? Resilience after Failure, not giving up when things get tough.
? Alertness to all that's happening around you.
? Leadership: The ability to envision the future and motivate others to follow that vision.
? The ability to manage stress. If you can't who will?
? The persistence to keep on going.
? Confidence in your ideas and yourself.
? The ability to reflect and improve
? The ability to plan, act and think strategically

Which entrepreneurial traits do you possess?

Which ones would you like to develop?

Whether you're already running a business, or just thinking of starting one, you might want to consider sharpening your entrepreneurial skills so that you can achieve the business success you're looking for.

? 2004-2007, Susan Martin, Business Sanity.

Entrepreneurs are some of the most powerful individuals in society. Not simply because they're wealthy. But because the habits they have ensure they're successful in whatever they do. Have a look at the list of habits below and see which ones you share with incredibly successful business leaders, managers, team leaders and entrepreneurs world-wide!

1 - Hatred for Sleep

You'll find most entrepreneurs NEVER lie in (unless they're on holiday of course). While you lie-in, you're not doing your body any good, and you're literally sat there watching your productivity plummet. Taking a break is nice. But that's what your 8 hours of sleep is for. Anymore and you just won't cut it as a business leader.

2 - Willingness to delegate

While I'm sure you think delegation is something you could get very used to; in practise its a tough decision. Imagine yourself as the bride in your first wedding. Would you happily delegate all the decisions to a wedding planner? Of course you wouldn't. 'My wedding day is far too important to let someone else potentially mess it up. Surely they won't give it as much attention and care as you would. It simply isn't worth the risk.'

This might be appropriate for a wedding, but most people experience the same feeling when delegating any important work. A successful leader simply places confidence in those beneath them, and let experts do what they do best, leaving the entrepreneur do what they do best - Leading!

3 - Pursuer of Opportunities

The difference between a successful entrepreneur and a normal individual. Is that when they both see a business opportunity. They react differently. A normal individual may actually consider it, and have a look at their bank account... maybe plan the possibility of leaving their job. However by this point, the entrepreneur will have already organised a team to begin!

4 - Proactive

Business Leaders do not wait for opportunities to slip onto their lap. They partake in extensive research (or pay someone else to) to always make sure they have some new directions to be exploring. They're never happy staying in the same place, and are always looking for the next big thing.

5 - Optimistic

You may think - "There are pro's and con's here... lets weigh it up"
The successful business leader thinks - "Those pro's are worth enough to pursue this, we'll cope with the cons later."

Being optimistic is a crucial habit for entrepreneurs, because it's the only way to deal with the amount of risk these people take on! Would you risk your year's salary in order to make more money next year? Many wouldn't, and that's why successful entrepreneurs aren't common.

6 - Ruthless

Its probably their most famous trait - Entrepreneurs are ruthless individuals. This isn't to say they're moral, but they won't be polite and observe 'niceties' if it'll stop them from making money. You have to be this focused too. Maybe you're thinking 'It isn't worth it'. Well being an incredibly successful entrepreneur isn't for everyone!

7 - Obsessed with attention to detail

Everything has to be perfect. Competition is so fierce in today's business world that you can't afford to do a half job. A successful businessperson won't go home until the job is done 110%. This is how profits are made and how a small venture can explode into a multi-million dollar success.

Article Source : Pg. 3

About Author

Both Susan Martin & Simon Oates are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Susan Martin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entrepreneurship, Online Marketing and Marketing. Susan Martin, NYC based business coach helps business owners and professionals get Business Sanity. Find out how you hone your skills, make more money with less effort and stress by visiting Susan on the web at http://www.business-sanity.com and sign up f. Susan Martin's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.

Simon Oates has sinced written about articles on various topics from Leadership, Business Loans and Leadership. Simon Oates is a business writer who contributes to websites such as and. Simon Oates's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.