Is Entrepreneurship For You?

Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can offer numerous advantages such as being your own boss, setting your own schedule and making a living doing something you enjoy. But, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires thorough planning, creativity and hard work.

Consider whether you have the following characteristics and skills commonly associated with successful entrepreneurs:

• Comfortable with taking risks: Being your own boss also means you’re the one making tough decisions. Entrepreneurship involves uncertainty. Do you avoid uncertainty in life at all costs? If yes, then entrepreneurship may not be the best fit for you. Do you enjoy the thrill of taking calculated risks? Then read on.

• Independent: Entrepreneurs have to make a lot of decisions on their own. If you find you can trust your instincts — and you’re not afraid of rejection every now and then — you could be on your way to being an entrepreneur.

• Persuasive: You may have the greatest idea in the world, but if you cannot persuade customers, employees and potential lenders or partners, you may find entrepreneurship to be challenging. If you enjoy public speaking, engage new people with ease and find you make compelling arguments grounded in facts, it’s likely you’re poised to make your idea succeed.

• Able to negotiate: As a small business owner, you will need to negotiate everything from leases to contract terms to rates. Polished negotiation skills will help you save money and keep your business running smoothly.

• Creative: Are you able to think of new ideas? Can you imagine new ways to solve problems? Entrepreneurs must be able to think creatively. If you have insights on how to take advantage of new opportunities, entrepreneurship may be a good fit. 

• Supported by others: Before you start a business, it’s important to have a strong support system in place. You’ll be forced to make many important decisions, especially in the first months of opening your business. If you do not have a support network of people to help you, consider finding a business mentor. A business mentor is someone who is experienced, successful and willing to provide advice and guidance. Read the Steps to Finding a Mentor article for help on finding and working with a mentor.

Reasons to Become an Entrepreneur

Why become an Entrepreneur?

To some of you, I’m preaching to the choir. There are however, a group of people reading this that are trying to decide if they should make the leap into entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, but if you do have the bug to experience freedom and still generate income, entrepreneurship can lead to an amazing life. You get to set your own schedule, you get to call the shots and answer to yourself.

Each of us spends 40-plus hours of our week in some form of work. That time could be spent doing something you love or doing something that makes you miserable and affects all other areas of your life. Here are five reasons why you should consider spending those hours on something that’s yours.

1. The opportunity to control your destiny.

When you work a 9-to-5 you’re at the mercy of your boss and the company you work for. They can decide to hire or fire you, they decide how you spend your eight hours every day and what happens in those eight hours affects you beyond that time.

You have little control and in exchange, they give you a paycheck. The problem is today’s economy. Gone are the days of working at a company for years and retiring with a pension. These days entrepreneurship is the new pension plan. Your income is too important to leave in the hands of someone else.

2. Freedom to spend your time doing what’s important to you.

Life is short and time is the one thing we’ll never get back. This makes time one of your most valuable resources and you should treat it accordingly. Entrepreneurship gives you the ability to balance your time.

If you have family or other life circumstances come up, you can decide to forgo any work for that day. You don’t have that kind of flexibility at a job. Your work should fit into your life, not the other way around. The life part has to come first.

3. Unlimited earning possibilities.

At a job, your earning potential is set by the job or a contract a union negotiated. You can get raises and promotions, but those are the exception, not the rule. Your earning potential is capped no matter how long you stay at that job.

To be fair, you could earn nothing at your business, but those who jump into entrepreneurship are self-motivated to build a profitable business. Entrepreneurs aren’t happy with the status quo and continue to grow their business and income. The beauty of entrepreneurship is that there are no gatekeepers to keep your income regulated.

Related: You Might Be an Entrepreneur If You Meet These 3 Conditions

4. Location independence.

The beauty of having your own business is the ability to create something that supports you no matter where you are in the world. There are more than 2.5 billion people online daily, which means you could have an unlimited customer base and build a location-independent, online business.

No longer do you have to be tied down to any one location. You can have freedom to be where you want. This is great because different environments can foster innovation and creativity. Last year I got to travel to 12 countries all over the world and still made money. You just can’t beat that.

5. The chance to leave a lasting legacy.

When you build your dream business it can carry on to your kids and their kids. What starts as a quest for freedom can end as something that’s in your family for generations. A company like Ford has been passed down through the generations and continues to impact lives. 

If your business is started out of something your passionate about, that passion will impact lives for years and generations. You can leave your children something you’re proud of.

We live in a time when we can use technology and the Internet to create the business and life we love. It’s not going to be easy and it will take time, but it is possible. If you're thinking about making the leap, make sure you're prepared. You don't want to turn your dream into a nightmare.

Have an emergency plan, just in case. Have a clear plan for your business and a plan for growth. Have a plan to market your business that goes beyond the cliches. Don't jump into this world until you understand what it involves. We're celebrating a New Year and another chance to do all the things you've wanted to do in life. Here's to you and your success.