The classic entrepreneur reveals attributes and competencies
that are worth emulating. Anyone can become an entrepreneur by gaining these
entrepreneurial attributes. Throughout the world, it is a fact that the most
knowledgeable people at school usually are not those who make it in life or in
the world of business. These intelligent ones are often surpassed by those who
time after time endeavor to succeed because they use their qualifications to
look for jobs and do not desire to make it on their own.
IvanRadosevic - Entrepreneurship is very crucial to the development
of any economy in the world today! Every economy that has witnessed speedy
growth has done so because of the existence of a pulsating private sector.
Entrepreneurship really represents the only hope of employment for the hundreds
of thousands who graduates from our various educational institutions each year
throughout the world, because the public sector currently employs less of these
graduates.
The New Webster's Dictionary of the English Language defines
an entrepreneur as "someone who runs a business at his own financial
risk." It is therefore important that we all develop the art of
entrepreneurship, master how to reduce risk and how to make our businesses
bloom. Entrepreneurship is an art, meaning, certain requisite skills and
special abilities must be acquired and developed.
Ivan
Radosevic - Let us discuss those skills that will make you an
excellent and successful entrepreneur.
Skill #1: Learn to identify an opportunity.
It is said that opportunity is seen with the mind and not
the eyes. Therefore, it is important to develop our minds so as to easily identify
great opportunities all around us. The development of our minds to spot
opportunities begins with a change of the way we think. We are really the way
we think. Therefore, the way you make you see things differently. For
example, in my country, there are two schools of thought. One thought believes
that graduates should humble themselves, combine their acquired skills to do
the so-called "dirty" works so as to be rich. The other thought believes
that graduates are the "special" ones and must sit in the glamorous
offices.
But with time, I have come to the realization that those
who follow the former school of thought become the rich ones who end up
employing those who follow the latter school of thought. You are really what
you think! Opportunities have to be taken, but they seldom come along without a
measure of risk attached to them. Opportunities when spotted, draw people in an
inimitable way.
They release energy for their fulfillment and rouse people
in an infectious way into doing the seemingly impossible. Just like young David
in my favorite Sunday School Story of "David and Goliath", David
spotted the opportunity that will catapult him to richness and fame by fighting
the ferocious Goliath when everybody backed off.
It was risky for a young lad to fight such a giant but he
went for it and succeeded. Change the way you think and your beliefs will
change, change your beliefs and your expectations will change, change your
expectations and your attitude will change, change your attitude and your the behavior will change, and when you change your behavior, you will lucidly and
vividly see all the opportunities around you.
Skill #2: Prepare for hard work.
Yes! it is true that being an entrepreneur gives you the
temerity of your time. That is, you decide where to go and at what time, which
is not the case for most employees. That, notwithstanding, should not pave the way
for slothfulness whatsoever. An entrepreneur works hard, though unlike most
employees, he or she (the entrepreneur) receives the right reward for his or
her labor. Entrepreneurs have time for nothing else other than work, real work.
In the art of entrepreneurship, hands-on dedication is required and nothing
less will be sufficient. Entrepreneurship means given your 110% commitment. All
self - made millionaires would tell you this.
Skill #3: Doing something you love doing best.
In the story of David and Goliath, David had practiced on a
countless number of times how to use his slingshot. In fact, it was his
slingshot he used in the killing of bears that attacked his lambs. Therefore,
when Saul, his King, offered him his glamorous armor, he opted for his
slingshot with just five smooth stones. That was what he knew best. He also
decided to fight Goliath to defend his people because to him David, had been
practicing the art of defense in the bush. So he did what he loved doing best
and excelled.
Be passionate about what you intend doing. If you do what you
love, you are going to be better at it with time. It is very important that you
do what you love doing best because you are able to rise again even if you
fall short the first time as in the case of most entrepreneurs.
Skill #4: Prepare to take risks.
There are always some risks involved in any new mission and
you have to be prepared to assess these risks, as they present themselves.
Everyone, one way or the other takes risks in life. However, most of the risks
most people take are the ones that do not bring about any life-changing
success. Rather, it is the difficult ones that bring the unbeatable prosperity
that most people stay away from. In my favorite David and Goliath story, though
King Saul offered the part of his kingdom as well as good riches to any man that is
able to conquer Goliath, everyone stayed away, including the most experienced
soldiers of Israel. It was little David who risked his life, fought Goliath,
and conquered him. No wonder he later became the king of Israel and very rich.
Most people are usually afraid to take the risk. It is not the
risk in any venture that makes them fail, but their fear of failure makes them
fail. Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to fail. They just hate to fail.
Their passion to overcome risk and succeed makes them prosperous. Actually,
passion is a combination of love and hate. Love for what you desire and hate
for you abhor. As an entrepreneur, love to take the risk but hate to fail in your risky
actions. Stop telling yourself, "what will happen if I fail." I am pleased that on all occasions, the little word "if" is used. The
entrepreneur tells himself, "how can I fail."
Usually, it the lack of the right knowledge that makes
investing risk. When you know what you are doing, you overcome all risks and
you succeed. Believing that what you don't know is not
important, makes some people fall into the world of business. Education is the
key to the elimination of ignorance. The education should include: time
management, cash flow management, management of people, accounting, investing
(the science of money making money), understanding the markets and the law.
Ignorance makes investing risky.
Skill #5: Developing a clear vision.
Entrepreneurship is about going somewhere and it begins with
a clear vision. When your employees cannot ascertain where you are going and
what you intend to achieve, they will have a hard time getting excited about
the journey and may result in abandonment. As an entrepreneur clear vision
should first communicate your purpose. With your purpose, I mean the kind of
"business" you are in, where you are going and why. Your
"why" must be very strong, since it easily helps you do the "how".
Secondly, your vision should commune your picture of the
future of your business. That is to say, what will your future be like, if your
purpose is realized. Finally, your vision must portray your values, what you
stand for as well as the principles you will make your in-progress decisions.
When your vision is persuasive, it communicates to people who you are, where
you are going and what will guide your journey in the world of business.
