So You're an Entrepreneur?
Darren D. Walker
When adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say a doctor or a teacher. They seemed to like that answer.
I was a latchkey kid, spent a lot of time looking after myself, and learned to be independent. I didn't become a doctor, because bodily fluids, and I didn't become a teacher because, kids. But, I did become a consultant and entrepreneur.
According to Statistics Canada, about 3.5 million of us are entrepreneurs. But what does it take to be an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurs tend not to be followers. What they generally share in common is:
1. The desire to chart their course.
2. Manage their time.
3. Be their boss.
4. Define their unique work-life balance.
In other words, they thrive on independence. Other common traits include:
·Wanting to make a change, but not motivated primarily by money
· The ability to self-manage.
· Taking risks and dealing positively with failure.
· Finding ways to creatively navigate through ambiguity
· Agility and adaptability to ever-changing circumstances
· Defining what success means for themselves.
While the road to entrepreneurship can be fraught with challenges, it can also be immensely gratifying. So, are you an entrepreneur? Do you have what it takes to become one?