Successful entrepreneurs are extremely flexible, but still must work to develop qualities that contribute not only to their companies’ success, but also their personal success. You too can develop the skills of highly successful entrepreneurs.
Let me challenge you to incorporate some of the traits of today’s most successful entrepreneurs…
Successful Entrepreneurs…
Follow their passion
Understand their business and competitive environment
Cultivate the art of communication
Grab the risky, highly visible projects
Know their business, get further education or re-education
Reassess their business often
Must use their soft skills – follow through, organization, multitasking
Make their thinking visible
Tie their skill set to the business value – ROI
Develop their technical skills
Balance their concern for others with self-advocacy
Learn to mitigate risk
Understand their priorities
Network, network, network
Plan, Plan, Plan
Have a sense of humor
Start with an end goal in mind
Define and tackle tasks that will help them reach key milestones
Have a role model, mentor, or someone in leadership to help improve their plan
Are accountable to themselves and others
Understand their abilities and limitations, play to their strengths
Determine what they need to be their best
Keep an eye on their shadow
Understand the “Big Issues”
Seek out advice from inside and outside their organization
Create a productive work environment
Have a strong work ethic
Persevere, no matter the circumstances
Know exactly how and where they excel
Have a diverse network
Tell others about their aspirations and ask for support
Don’t go it alone…recruit the guidance of other leaders
Get out of the office
Are involved in organizations outside of their company, both professional and personal!!!
Have an established network of connections outside of work
Aren’t afraid to learn something new
Are involved in mentorship programs
Ask for advice, industry connections, etc.
Are mentors to others
Create opportunities for informal connections
Promote an environment that facilitates work-life balance
Encourage honest and open communication
Develop a workable plan with specific deadlines
Identify ways to overcome barriers and challenges
Have a team in place to keep them accountable
Share their successes throughout their organization.
Maryanne Maldonado Vice President and Managing Director, Energy Acceleration Ms. Maldonado is corporate Vice President of the Houston Technology Center and serves as the Director of Acceleration for the energy sector. She provides strategic and tactical management, as well as investment-related advice to Houston-area early stage companies developing innovative technologies applied in the energy industry. Ms. Maldonado assists in recruiting and screening new energy clients, further growing the renewable energy/clean tech area and direct special energy-related projects at HTC. Prior to joining HTC, Ms. Maldonado presided as Head of Trade and Investment and Head of the International Energy Team for UK Trade and Investment, based in Houston. Prior to working with the United Kingdom, Ms. Maldonado served as Trade Commissioner for the Canadian Consulate-Houston, following several operational and regulatory positions with oil and gas companies. A native of North Carolina, Ms. Maldonado holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree from LeTourneau University in Longview City, Texas.
Maryanne; nice piece, I will add a couple more:
– They know there is no check at the end of the month, and still go to work
– Roll the dice every day
– They have a good work-work balance (that is right, there is no life other than the passion of the business)
Your very first attribute, “follows their passion,” got me thinking. Do all successful entrepreneurs really have a passion? I mean, sometimes I think their passion is simply to make money. For example, I don’t think my landscaper necessarily loves mowing grass and being outdoors. He just found a good way to make money and has worked hard to make his business successful.
Sometimes I think this whole mantra of “find your passion” just sets people up for disappointment when they can’t figure out what theirs is.
Oscar M, whilst I agree somewhat with your points I have to disagree when you say ” Sometimes I think this whole mantra of “find your passion” just sets people up for disappointment when they can’t figure out what theirs is.”
As John Lennon rightly said “”Find something you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life”
I think this is so true. This is why it is impportant to try and expose yourself to as many new experiences as possible. if in doing so you find something you are passinate about, and can figure out how to make a living from it, then the sky is the limit.
Anyway success should not necessarily be measured by how much money we can accumulate, but in how happy we are in the contribution we make and how that makes us feel about ourselves!
I have to disagree with Roman’s comment about a work-work balance. My husband runs a business and we have now managed to get the work-home life balance right – if all you do is work and never enjoy the benefits than you find you will burn out!!
If you work too hard you will definitely find that it doesn’t seem worth it. You have to learn to be disciplined enough to work and disciplined enough to stop working as well!