Every year I speak with and help other entrepreneurs market and grow their businesses.

Some are able to achieve their desired success.  They have a solid business plan in place, the right attitude, make the proper investments, are able to delicate and know when to enlist help.  

Others have every good intention, but wander aimlessly with no plan or a plan that changes from day to day.  They rely on luck rather than hard work and a more strategic approach.

Then of course, there are the dreamers who do nothing more than dream and talk about their aspirations. They often talk about what the could have done or will do, without taking the first step to put their plan into action.

Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of grit and determination, bravery and thicker skin than you might have first thought. There will be people that want to see you succeed, but just as many that secretly (or not so secretly) want to see you fail.

For an entrepreneur, that's all part of the journey.  They are often motivated as much by proving doubters wrong as they are proving to themselves that their ideas and instincts were right. They value the reward of building something for themselves over the risks and long hours that are required.

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?


Here are a few things that really set an entrepreneur apart from the rest of the pack:

Desire to do things better

They see an opportunity in the market to do something better than it has been done before, and therefore work out how they can deliver upon this notion. They may seek capital from outsiders, or take the risk and self-fund their business idea, all because they believe that the market will be more receptive to a better quality product or service.

They hate working for others

Working for a boss is the worst thing in the world for most entrepreneurs. Not because there are too many bad bosses out there, but because they want the freedom to explore their full potential without someone holding them back. In fact, they are looking for no restraint at all and definitely no boundaries.

They are predominantly introverts and prefer to work on their own terms

As an introvert, I know first-hand how important it is to not be put in intimidating situations or being forced to do something that comes naturally for an extrovert. Did you know most male entrepreneurs are introverts, yet a majority of female entrepreneurs are extroverts.  Though I know it may sound counterintuitive, being an introvert helps (except at those mingling networking events). You're more introspective, work things through in your head and tend to be methodical.   



You are just born that way 

Becoming an entrepreneur was the destination, working for someone else was just the path to getting there. If you ask many entrepreneurs they will tell you that they were always an entrepreneur; the kid with the yard business or the one with the lemonade stand set up on the golf course.  Entrepreneurship didn't just happen it was who they have always been. 


Being an entrepreneur is cool, but it's hard. It requires so much more than just a good idea and some money. Motivation is key, but so is an ability to execute a plan- or at the very least employ people who can do it for you. There is risk and sometimes failures.  A true entrepreneur learns from their mistakes, gets back up and starts again.

Entrepreneurs are different, and are usually proud to walk in the opposite direction to everyone else.
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