In order to become a successful business owner or entrepreneur you certainly will need a solid set of core skills that will allow you to actually do the work. That's where a real passion and dedication to the planned venture come in. However, many people have similar skills and drive, but not all of them, by any means, are cut out to be entrepreneurs.
Although successful business people are all very different, even if they essentially work in the same field - think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs - there are certain characteristics that they all seem to share that anyone starting their own business needs to have, or make the effort to develop.
Personal Characteristics
The first thing you need to do is consider your own personal characteristics and determine whether you have, or will be able to learn, the essential aspects of the mindset of the typical successful entrepreneur.
Optimism – Being able to think positively and optimistically is a must for an entrepreneur. This ability to remain positive will help you through the rough spots that you will inevitably encounter.
Initiative – The ability to see the 'big picture' easily and problem solve on the fly.
A Desire for Control – Do you enjoy being in charge and taking on responsibility? You are going to have to if you want to start - and maintain - a successful business of your own.
Resilience – Can you still pick yourself up and carry on when things go wrong or not quite as you planned?
Interpersonal Skills - As a small business owner or entrepreneur, your interpersonal skills will become more important than ever before as you deal with clients, customers, business contacts and suppliers. Unlike when you worked at, for example, Berger and Green, all of these responsibilities will now fall on you.
The Ability to Listen – Being able to talk and 'sell yourself' is certainly important for a home business owner but the ability to listen is even more important.
Ethics – Do you believe in dealing with people with respect, fairness, integrity and truthfulness? Being perceived as honest, open and trustworthy is crucial if you want to build any kind of business.
Creative Thinking Skills
Once you are own your own without a manager or a 'leader' and all the decisions related to a business are yours alone to make, at least in the beginning, your creative thinking skills will also become more important than ever before.
The Ability to See 'The Big Picture' – A successful entrepreneur or business owner needs to be able to see an issue from many different perspectives and still come up with original ideas.
The Ability to 'Spot a Trend' – A business owner needs to learn how to expand their 'reach' by spotting trends, opportunities and 'gaps in the market' that they can capitalize on.
Not everyone who wants to start working for themselves will have all of these 'traits’, but the good news is that they are things that can be developed, if you are willing to work at it.