A successful entrepreneur has to have much more than a great idea for a business. Starting a business is full of challenges that can be discouraging and cause a person to doubt the validity of his or her idea. A successful entrepreneur has what it takes to follow through with an idea for a product or service despite the challenges. Sukanto Tanoto is one example of a business person who has experienced success as an entrepreneur. Take a look at some of the qualities that help to make entrepreneurs successful in what they do.
Persistence
Most successful entrepreneurs are persistent. They thoroughly believe in their idea for a business. This makes it possible for them to push forward with a business regardless of the hurdles. Businesses can face challenges such as a loss of funding, construction delays, inventory issues and product flaws. If the person is not persistent in solving these problems, the business begins to suffer. The quality of persistence can also help an entrepreneur convince others such as investors that the performance of the business is going to exceed their expectations.
A Solid Education
An entrepreneur doesn’t necessarily have to have several degrees from a university to be successful with a business. The person does have to be knowledgeable about the industry that he or she wants to work in. For instance, a person who has worked her way from dishwasher to waitress to manager has a lot of knowledge and experience when it comes to the operation of a restaurant. This knowledge can help her become an entrepreneur who starts her own unique restaurant. Someone who knows the facts about a particular industry is more likely to be successful in starting a business within that industry.
A Desire to Keep Learning
Another important quality in a successful entrepreneur is a desire to keep learning. An entrepreneur can make adjustments and changes in his or her business by staying aware of trends in the industry. Also, he or she can run a business more efficiently by learning about current technology and methods of operation. In short, an entrepreneur who is always open to learning is able to sustain success in his or her chosen industry.
Excellent Communication Skills
An entrepreneur must be able to communicate well with others. Whether it’s talking with an employee, a franchise owner, a customer or a vendor, an entrepreneur should have great people skills. When an entrepreneur is easy to talk to, people are more anxious to work with the person to achieve the goals of the business. In fact, the best entrepreneurs are people who are inspiring and enthusiastic about what they do!
Finally, an entrepreneur must be dedicated to the success of the business. Even if the business starts out making lots of profit, the person must continually look for ways to make it better. This means that the person has a lasting dedication to the fundamental idea of the business.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.