By CHINKEE TAN
DO you see yourself jumpstarting your own business in the near future? Does the idea of entrepreneurship constantly dawn on you? If I ask you to describe a typical entrepreneur, how would you describe one? Passionate? Focused? Dedicated? Can you relate to any of these descriptions?
Before you even put that business idea into action, I suggest that you take time to assess yourself, your behaviors, practices, and mindsets. There are several signs that communicate “you are an entrepreneur,” perhaps by heart, if you haven’t practiced being one yet.
If you find yourself relating to most of the signs below, then you’re most likely to become a great entrepreneur, if you’re not already one.
- You are action-oriented
You give utmost importance to action. You belong to the group of people who actually walk the talk. Many business people come up with beautiful and promising business plans but many of them also get stuck with just the “plan” part of it; they iron out their plans but don’t act on them. An action-oriented person will definitely thrive in the business world.
- You are resourceful
Being an entrepreneur is not about having all the resources, rather, it’s making use of the resources that he already has. Resourcefulness is a trait only a few is privileged to have. And entrepreneurship will challenge you to make good use of this gift.
- You listen
An entrepreneur who is willing to listen and accept his clients’ feedback about the products and services his business offers will make more room for improvement. In business, listening is indispensable, it’s communicating willingness to accept the ideas from others.
- You embrace change
Change is the one thing that is ever-present in business, from the changing demands to changing market behavior, you’ll never know what you’re going to expect next. This is why being flexible to change is a very essential trait an entrepreneur must have. Resisting change will leave you and your business stagnant.
- You get scared.
Those who are afraid to fail or commit a mistake will do whatever it takes to not end up in that direction. Feeling fear is healthy especially in risky situations such as business. Getting scared means that you are aware of the possibility of failing.
- You are challenged by trials
Trials and challenges are what motivate a real entrepreneur. When faced with uncertainties and trials, a true entrepreneur does not stop at feeling defeated, afraid, and discouraged. Instead, he rises to the occasion and looks at the challenge in the eye and says, “bring it on!”
- You manage your finances well
You take money matters seriously. You know the importance of financial stability and you are very responsible when it comes to handling your money. There is a good chance for an entrepreneur who is great at managing his own money to also handle his business finances well.
- You are brave.
When people tell you that your business won’t make it, you simply shrug it off and do it anyway. You are not afraid to make mistakes but you also know that mistakes can become stepping stones to success.
- You recover quickly
Failure is a part of business. If you don’t succeed at the first try, you get up and try again. You don’t allow any discouragement to stop you. You recover quickly from mistakes, criticisms, and negative feedback. You acknowledge that the only way to success is forward.
- You practice good time management
Successful entrepreneurs value time. They know the importance of the role that time plays in a business. Good time management is necessary in order to succeed in business. Mismanage your time and you’ll see your business fall apart right in front of your eyes.
Do you possess these qualities and you want to start your own business but don’t know how? Good news! I will have a special session called “Juan Negosyante: How to Start your Business from Scratch” on Sept. 28, 9 p.m., via private group FB Live. For more info, please visit chinkeetan.com/juannegosyante.
