*This article is also on GlobePreneurs.com.
Many people around the globe ask me ‘How do I become an entrepreneur?’ or ‘What resources are there for becoming an entrepreneur?’ Some people are just starting out, others want to transition from their current careers and situations. Being and entrepreneur can be fun, but it is also risky and challenging.
Big career shifts are like an adventure. Massive career shifts are very challenging. It takes a lot of time and effort to do well in one discipline or field. It takes a different level of dedication to be able to build more layers on top of that and juggle many disciplines well.
My entrepreneurial journey is quite a co-incidence. While working as a lawyer and undertaking other roles in many countries, I participated in my own and family international businesses. En route to becoming a law professor, I realized that more entrepreneurship experience was required on my part to fully assist bright law students reach their full potential. My explorations lead to many exciting paths from real estate, venture capital to technology. These natural increments progressed to innovation, new product development and globalization.
Today we have many products and innovations in progress and incubated in different areas of the globe. While I am still learning and transforming as an entrepreneur every day, I just wanted to share some experiences before we launch into our GlobePreneurs Win Interview Series, per the request of many people around the world.
The following are some (basic) practical resources and suggestions for becoming an entrepreneur:
1. Successful People: I learn a lot from successful people, especially when they share their words of wisdom, techniques, experiences online, in print etc. e.g. Richard Branson, Elon Musk etc.
2. Interviews: Many startup and company owners like to share their journey and wisdom. Hopefully our GlobePreneurs Win Interview Series will provide some great insights, advice and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and GlobePreneurs.
3. Entrepreneurship Magazines: There are usually lots of helpful materials available on entrepreneurship and business magazines such as Forbes, Huffington Post, Inc., Entrepreneur etc.
4. Formal Programs: There are many Startup accelerators and programs that help you with startups. e.g. The Founder Institute http://fi.co/
5. Events: There are on-going conferences, seminars, networking events etc. There are also online events like hangouts and live chats/streams etc. You never know who you may meet online or otherwise!
6. Books - Some suggestions of recommended reading include:
‘The Fountainhead’ by Ayn Rand - Self-made billionaire Mark Cuban states that ‘this book is required reading for every entrepreneur.’
‘Business Adventures’ by John Brooks - This became Bill Gates’ all-time favorite business book after Warren Buffett recommended it to him in 1991.
‘Benjamin Franklin’ by Walter Isaacson - Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, says this book is one of his all-time favorites.
‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill - Daymond John, cofounder of clothing business FUBU and investor on ABC’s hit pitch show “Shark Tank,” indicated that Napoleon Hill’s classic business book, “Think and Grow Rich,” changed his life.
7. Networking: This is a continuous process to build relationships, which may open doors for collaboration, introductions, exposure etc.
8. Experience: It is good to try a diverse range of projects. That will help you work out your passions, strengths, weaknesses etc. If you ‘fail’ or have some imperfections, that is ‘perfect as it is.’ Failure is essential for success in entrepreneurship. If we have not failed we have not been innovative enough. It is easier to be safe and not try new things. Most entrepreneurs who are successful e.g. Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs etc. have had their fair share of ‘failures.’ It is what we learn and how we carry on from failure that is important. I would not worry about ‘failures’ in entrepreneurship but rather see them as part of the journey to success!
Best wishes for a successful entrepreneurial journey! Please feel free to reach out and share your thoughts. Thank you for joining this amazing journey with us!
What aspects of this article did you find helpful? What are your suggestions for future interviews and features? Please feel free to send suggestions to and enjoy life to the fullest around the world with Hon. Pauline Truong on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter!