The first thing that differentiates an entrepreneur from other business people, is their desire to be high achievers. When faced with an opportunity they are more likely to say ‘YES’ then ask themselves ‘HOW’. Other business operators are more likely to evaluate more carefully if they should (or could) take up the opportunity being offered; then they are more likely to say why they shouldn’t (couldn’t) take it on.
If you are running a business, whether it is a service or a product, you are likely to do so because you are competent in what you are doing – probably because of years of experience doing the same things as you did when you were an employee. It is not long before you have to take on the role of a manager. All these roles are important when running a successful home based business. You can learn to be a manager; you probably started the business because you are good at a specific task, but you are either an entrepreneur, or not – it is not something that can be learned.
An entrepreneur is a thinker and must be able to see clearly and logically. They see what is missing within a product or service and understand why things are not successful; then they imagine ways to reach the pinnacle of success. They are not only opportunistic, they take action. If the opportunity does not present itself, they are likely to create the opportunity themselves.
Entrepreneurs fully understand the importance of education and are constantly looking to learn new skills. They see their way forward as a path or roadway to a new world; often one which they create! The most obvious and dynamic changes that require ongoing education, are the changes in technology.
Today, more and more, people realise that they must keep up with the changes in technology; most of what they already know will be obsolete in just three or four years. When computers first became popular, people purchased one which they felt should last them for life. Often they did not renew them for many years and were able to get away with it. But now, when new technology comes on board, the key manufacturers stop supporting the old technology as they see it as the ‘end of life’. The new software simply cannot run with the new operating systems.
You may thing that creativity and entrepreneurship are the same. It is true, that the entrepreneur must have a flair for creativity, but the real difference is that the entrepreneur is a much more practical person. If you are running your own business (and not just providing yourself with a job) you must be all three; technician, manager and entrepreneur. This means that you have to complete millions of tasks to keep your business running and to ensure its success. The true entrepreneur is capable of doing this.
It is correct to say that entrepreneurs ‘think big’ but the difference between the ’thinkers’ and the ‘doers’ is that successful entrepreneurs control the size of their dream into one that can be done – successfully.
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Written by Ven Grollmus
