What does it take to be an entrepreneur?

I honestly believe we each have an entrepreneur inside us, a smaller version of ourselves that is bursting to get out. All we need is a vision, a passion and a break. The most important thing is to find something that you’re interested in, not just marginally interested in, it needs to be a ‘thing’ that you have a deep-rooted passion for. The more passion, the better the outcome. 

Whatever business you decide on you must be able to execute your ideas. There is no point having a fantastic business plan but no idea about how to make it happen; ‘all the gear but no idea’. You don’t have to have an idea that isn’t already on offer but you do need to be able to make your business stand out from the rest. So, you will have competition but what makes your idea different? What are you going to do that will make people want to use you instead of someone else? Good execution and a positive twist are excellent ways to get started. Research, research, research! 

You will make mistakes, they make us who we are but they don’t define us. We learn from them and move on. The greatest entrepreneurs fail at some point, but they don’t let that stop them from achieving. Remember, no matter what, have passion, execute your plans, research and move on from mistakes. 

Throughout life we learn, we have the ability to discover new information daily, if we so wish. A true business person will thrive on this. You need to have the ability to continue learning, throughout life. Accept and appreciate that you can learn from anyone, at any time. Everyone has the ability to teach us something new, we just have to be open to accepting new information. 

Are you a risk taker? There is a lot of risk in setting up your own business. Some people don’t like the idea of this and much prefer sticking to what they know. If you’re happy to come out of your comfort zone, then you’re more likely to succeed. Yes, manage your risk level, don’t put silly things on the line if you’re really unsure as to whether you’re going to succeed but, with a solid idea and business plan, there is no reason that you should fail; have faith in yourself.