How To Tap Into Your Inner Entrepreneur

With the dawn of the new year, many people will be thinking about how to start up a business. Whether it’s greater flexibility in your working hours, doing something which fills you with passion, being able to work from anywhere in the world, cutting down on the commute or even just working towards profits which are all yours, the lure of becoming an entrepreneur is strong. So what’s holding you back?

Well, deep down inside, many suffer from a lack of self-belief. It’s the little voice inside out head that tells us we can’t do it. That we’re bound to fail. That we don’t have the qualities to make it work. That voice could be the only thing standing between you and success.

The truth is that entrepreneurship is a set of qualities and skills. And while some people seem to be born with it, the great news is that these elements can also be learned. Through practise, you can take on the elements that you need to drive a small business forward.

Learn To Have Vision

Running a business requires something besides seed funding. It requires vision. Vision about not only what you’re doing but, crucially, why you’re doing it. If you’re not convinced, you certainly can’t expect anyone else to be – not your investors, not your suppliers and not your customers. You need to connect with the reasons behind what you’re doing, and learn to articulate the values that you’re working to. Once you define the mission and values of your business, and you can communicate them clearly and concisely to others, you have the secret sauce that all successful entrepreneurs share.

Learn To Show Leadership

It’s true that some people seem to be natural leaders – able to take control and direct a situation and the people in it effortlessly. If you’re not used to being in charge, it can be a challenge – but it is one you can overcome. You have to start with some self belief if you’re going to convince others. That requires reminding yourself of all your great qualities and what you can bring to the table. Write it down on a Post-It and stick it to the bathroom mirror if you have to. Have you ever heard the saying ‘fake it til you make it’? This is exactly what you need to do here. Pick a business icon you can get behind and simply pretend to be them. How would they handle this difficult situation or that setback? Over time, as you start to have experience on your side, the pretence will all become true. You can always develop these skills officially, top – like taking your bs organizational leadership if you really want to consolidate these attributes and learn the science behind them.

Learn To Be Flexible

Running your own business is only viable if you learn to pivot, changing direction and tactics quickly. You need to be able to respond rapidly to what the data and analytics about your sales are telling you, and have the confidence to make the necessary changes. Adaptation is the secret to survival when it comes to making your company work because if you aren’t meeting the ever changing needs of your customers, revenue will undoubtedly dry up. Making numerous, quick improvements is the way to ensure you stay on top.