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Entrepreneurship
>>>> 2. What Makes Someone an Entrepreneur? Who can become an entrepreneur? There the loss of these customers, the entrepreneur mod- is no one definitive profile. Successful en- ified her vision to accommodate these needs. trepreneurs come in various ages, income levels, gender, and race. They differ in education and • Leadership is the ability to create rules and to set experience. But research indicates that most successful goals. It is the capacity to follow through to see that entrepreneurs share certain personal attributes, includ- rules are followed and goals are accomplished.
ing: creativity, dedication, determination, flexibility, leadership, passion, self-confidence, and “smarts.” • Passion is what gets entrepreneurs started and keeps them there. It gives entrepreneurs the ability • Creativity is the spark that drives the development to convince others to believe in their vision. It can’t of new products or services or ways to do business. substitute for planning, but it will help them to stay It is the push for innovation and improvement. It focused and to get others to look at their plans.
is continuous learning, questioning, and thinking outside of prescribed formulas.
• Self-confidence comes from thorough planning, which reduces uncertainty and the level of risk. It • Dedication is what motivates the entrepreneur to also comes from expertise. Self-confidence gives work hard, 12 hours a day or more, even seven days the entrepreneur the ability to listen without being a week, especially in the beginning, to get the en- deavor off the ground. Planning and ideas must be joined by hard work to succeed. Dedication makes • “Smarts” consists of common sense joined with knowledge or experience in a related business or endeavor. The former gives a person good instincts, • Determination is the extremely strong desire to the latter, expertise. Many people have smarts they achieve success. It includes persistence and the don’t recognize. A person who successfully keeps ability to bounce back after rough times. It per- a household on a budget has organizational and fi- suades the entrepreneur to make the 10th phone nancial skills. Employment, education, and life ex- call, after nine have yielded nothing. For the true entrepreneur, money is not the motivation. Success Every entrepreneur has these qualities in different de-grees. But what if a person lacks one or more? Many • Flexibility is the ability to move quickly in response skills can be learned. Or, someone can be hired who has to changing market needs. It is being true to a dream strengths that the entrepreneur lacks. The most impor- while also being mindful of market realities. A story tant strategy is to be aware of strengths and to build on is told about an entrepreneur who started a fancy shop selling only French pastries. But customers wanted to buy muffins as well. Rather than risking U.S. Department of State/Bureau of International Information Programs

Source: http://www.ait.org.tw/infousa/zhtw/PUBS/Entrepreneurship/part_02.pdf