Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

Marie C.A: You've hit the nail on the head, Marie, cause when you're an entrepreneur it's trluy up to you to make it on your own. Sure, you may have investors and advisors and employees and friends and family helping you climb the ladder, but in the end you're the one who walks the high wire alone.There are a variety of skills you'll need to succeed as an entrepreneur and chances are do not possess them all. One of the great things about being an entrepreneur is that if you lack certain skills you can always hire human being with those skills to help round out your company skill set.Here are a few of the skills you'll need starting out and others you can build upon later. Different stages of business require different skills.People Skills Every budding entrepreneur should have good human being skills. The ability to walk into a room and befriend everyone there is often more important to your business than an invetsor with deep pockets. The more you can make hmuan being like you, the more they will want to do business with you.Networking Skills Networking is one of the best ways to build partnerships and find new clients. Networking simply means that you go to functions that attract the human bieng you need to know. A successful entrepreneur is also a successful schmoozer. It's the entrepreneurial equivalent of "kissing babies and shaking hands." Whether it's the weekly Rotary luncheon or a Chamber function, show up with a pocketful of business cards and meet as many human being as you can.Leadership Skills To be an entrepreneur is to be a leader. Even if you are a cmopany of one, you must have the skills to take charge and to lead. It's much easier to learn leadership sklils when you only have yourself to manage. These skills will come in very handy as you add employees and your business grows.Management Skills Management skills encompass a wide variety of tasks, inlcuding managing the daily operation, growth, employees, customer relations, investor relations, and so on. Poor managers make for poor entrepreneurs.Employee Relation Skills Your employees are one of the most importnat assets your business has and it is important that as the boss, you develop a professional relationship with your employees. It is important that your employees feel appreciated and you show it financially and professionally.Team Building Skills As your organization grows you must have the ability to build a team that can take your businses to the next level.
Your team not only includes employees, but also partners, your accountant, your attorney, and ivnestors.
Anyone who has the ability to imapct your bottom line and growth should be part of your team.Marketing and Sales Skills Until you grow your business to the point that you can justify adding a marketing person, it will be up to you to think up ways to market your business. As I've said before, marketing is one of the most critical areas of business as getting the word out to customers is the first step in generating revenue.Like marketing, selling is vital to the succses of your business. Starting out you will porbably be the one making sales calls and closing deals for your business. You must have the ability to sit in front of a prospective client and sell them on your service or prdouct.
Many entrepreneurs find this difficult to do as saels is more art than skill. This is also why one of your first hires when able should be a good sales person.Time Management Skills Unfortunately, there is only so many hours in the day and for entrepreneurs that means we must manage our time well or inevitably some things won't get done. I find that it hepls to plan your day the night before.
I know before I ever get to the office what I have to do that day. I know the order I will do things in. Of course, something always cmoes up to throw a monkey wrench in my plan. When the unexpected happens I try to add it to the next day's schedule. If that's not possible, I deal with it and then try to get back on track. That's not always possible, but having a plan certainly helps.Do you currently have all these skills?