It is interesting to think long and hard about what makes a successful entrepreneur. There are a ton of books on starting a business, successful entrepreneurs etc. Looking back at some of the people I have either met or taught through my years in business, it is not always easy to identify the ones that make it or not.

People have a perception of what it is like to start and run their own business. Some people think; it is very sexy to say you are the owner of the business; it is easier than looking for a job; less work hours, with no one looking over your shoulders, etc. In reality it is much less sexy, it isn’t easier than finding a job, successful entrepreneurs work many more hours than employees, and the bill collector is always looking over your shoulder. Hard work, passion and a will to success is the facets to being successful.

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. People think they want to be one, but they don’t fully understand what it takes to be a “good” one. First it takes patients. People want to be successful right off the bat, and that just doesn’t occur. It is important to understand it takes time to build relationships to build your business. It takes hard work. Think about all the aspects of the business that is required: Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance, Human Resources, Technology, the list can continue. All these functions need to get done and you are ultimately responsible to get it done. It takes a passion for your business. Once the excitement of starting the business wears off you are left with keeping the business going. How do you keep the passion of the business going after the initial excitement wears off? It takes planning. Sitting down and planning your business helps you to make crucial decisions for your business. You need a roadmap to drive your business forward. It takes money. Not matter what type of business you are in, you need to put some money into the business to make it a success. It also takes consistency. Providing your goods or services on a consistent basis is important in keeping your customer coming back. Your goal is to not only start your business but to stay in business what I call the continuum.

After reading all the books, and listing all the criteria for success, the one common aspect that all successful entrepreneur had was they never let the word failure enter into their minds. No matter what the situation, they never thought their business was going to fail, they keep moving the business forward.

So if you are looking for that magic potion of for being a successful entrepreneur, do not let the word failure enter your mind. Keep pursuing your plan.

For more insights into being a successful entrepreneur or business ideas contact:
Karen Katcher
Katcher Associates LLC
908-719-1027
karen@katcherassocites.com
katcherassociates.com