Any great entrepreneur will tell you that they're different than most and has a personality all their own. While this may be true to varying degrees, there are some traits that the majority of successful entrepreneurs share, and nearly all of these hard working individuals would be proud to confirm they possess them.
Are you a budding entrepreneur and wondering if you've got the make-up to see a prosperous future? Consider the traits below and see if you have any or all of them in your DNA. Chances are, if you're already on the path towards innovation and determination in your business idea, you'll see yourself reflected in this list.
Determination
Entrepreneurship is not easy. A successful entrepreneur must be determined to make it in the no-nonsense, hard-hitting, highly-competitive business world. Confidence, passion, and motivation are all part of the steadfast determination any smart and serious entrepreneur must possess.
Monster.comconfirms, "Entrepreneurs are enthusiastic, optimistic, and future-oriented. They believe they'll be successful." Entrepreneur adds, "You have to be determined from the beginning to be successful -- before you even start. If you aren't fully determined to make it there is a good chance you will crumble under the pressure. Entrepreneurs that have a high level of confidence are able to get the job done even under the most stressful conditions. They understand that big challenges breed big rewards."
Does this sound like you? Without the initial drive and the fuel to continue to push you forward, you'll never make it past the starting line. There are lots of good ideas, but the force behind them is what yields the biggest impact.
Risk Taker
A successful entrepreneur knows of the liabilities they may encounter while working to develop their business. Not everything will be a home run no matter how good a player they may be. With risk comes reward though, if the right balance of fearlessness and fierceness for the end goal is found.
Monster has a method to make things as smooth as possible, "You can reduce your risk by thoroughly researching your business concept, industry and market. You can also test your concept on a small scale." Refer to family and friends for an initial sounding board before hitting the masses.
With risk-taking comes the chance for failure, but a driven entrepreneur won't give up without a fight. The Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce says, "Entrepreneurs are often successful because they are calculating and able to make the best decisions in even the worst of cases. Even if they make the best decision possible, things don't always go according to plan and may fail anyhow. There's not one successful entrepreneur out there sitting on his couch asking, 'what if?'"
And Entrepreneur reminds us of an important lesson from Richard Branson, "Few first ventures work out. It is how a beginning entrepreneur deals with failure that sets that person apart. In fact, failure is one of the secrets to success, since some of the best ideas arise from the ashes of a shuttered business."
If you know you'll need to put it all on the line with the chance your idea could flop and still believe you've got what it takes, you have the mindset of a true entrepreneur.
Eager to Learn
Entrepreneurs are smart and well-versed in their vision for a new endeavor. That said, any truly intelligent entrepreneur knows that there are always more to learn, new and different ways to do things, and changes they can make in order to be a bigger success.
Like Entrepreneur notes, "You have to stay sharp, and that requires that you are constantly learning. Industries constantly change and evolve -- only those that are also growing through constant learning will stay ahead. Read books and wake up earlier in the morning to read industry news -- do everything you can to constantly learn and absorb new information."
Minority Business Development Agency adds, "Successful people welcome change and often depend on it to improve their effectiveness as leaders and ultimately the success of their businesses as many business concepts rely on improving products, services and processes in order to win business."
Even if your business gets off the ground and begins to succeed, never forget to keep on taking in more information and advice with an open mind. Always be on your toes in order to stand the tallest!
Versatile
It's important to be able to think outside the lines when it comes to starting a business. Even the best laid plans will need to be repaved and reexamined as you go through the exciting, yet unpredictable adventure of your entrepreneurial endeavor. Creativity and flexibility are key to making your dreams a reality.
Monster says it well, "While entrepreneurs need a steadfast vision and direction, they will face a lot of unknowns. You will need to be ready to tweak any initial plans and strategies. New and better ways of doing things may come along as well."
Entrepreneur notes, "If you are extremely adaptable it gives you the ability to respond quickly in any situation. This allows you to make decisions that will navigate you out of trouble and allow you to thrive in environments that would sink those that aren't adaptable."
And don't sabotage yourself. Being open to a new way of approaching an idea or testing something that wasn't in the initial plans will help, not destroy your success. Sticking to a plan just because it took a long time to develop doesn't make it the one that's the best. Hone in on your natural creativity to foster a new and better outcome.
Persuasive
So you've created a business that has the capability to do well, but without the customers, clients, and partners to keep the business afloat and going strong, you may just sink.
Your business skills must be sharp and your leadership and networking skills on point. According to Business Insider, "Whether you're a born extrovert or introvert, as a founder/CEO, you'll find yourself always selling. You'll be selling your vision to prospective partners and funding sources. You'll be selling prospective recruits on why they should quit their day jobs and join this startup they've never heard of. You'll be selling your products and services."
The amount of time and passion put into developing your idea must be put towards convincing others how great it is as well. Under 30 CEO says, "The entrepreneur has strong communication skills to sell the product and motivate employees."
Of course, if your idea is groundbreaking, much of the attraction will come naturally, but even so, in order to reach your highest potential, a persuasive attitude will bring your business in front of the eyes that matter most. Be fearless, firm, and friendly. Your success depends on your ability to impress, influence, and entice those who will help make your business soar.
How much of an entrepreneurial spirit do you have based on these traits? Are you up for the challenge?
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.