How to Become an Entrepreneur
Posted 12th January 2015 at 05:59 PM by imarkedy
Learning how to become an entrepreneur begins one of the most wonderful journeys life has to offer. The first character trait an entrepreneur needs is commitment to the process. Any serial entrepreneur will tell you that lack of commitment equals lack of tangible results. It must be much more than commitment to an idea rather one must literally put the weight of their entire being behind the process until completion.
Let me share a little bit about my journey in hopes that it will encourage yours. I have written many times before about how this company was launched some 15 years ago and the circumstances which led to its formation. Since that long ago time, my company has undergone several makeovers but always keeping the end in mind. When speaking about commitment, that is the only thing which kept me pressing forward through many fruitless years of endeavor.
Although my company was launched, in earnest, in 2000, it was during the summer of 2009 when my efforts began to gain traction. Make no mistake - the nine years of fruitless labor had nothing to do with lack of effort! I tried hundreds of different ways to achieve the same goal and none of them yielded results. Why? I failed to realize what is most important to success - being myself.
Never forsake learning experiences and new tools in order to complete your goals. Goals, however, must be woven around your individual personality. You will never experience the level of success you seek when trying to be a clone of someone else. You are unique with gifts particular to who you are - never forget that.
For instance, many years ago, before many realized the value of creating online content, I came across an Internet marketing guru who obviously saw well into the future. In those days, setting up a website was pretty much enough to guarantee some form of brand exposure. I’d go further to say that websites were nothing more than online business cards of sorts.
I took the gurus advice and began to set up free blogs and any other tool which allowed me to gain traction for my company. I realized that I had boundless energy and a unique gift to create written content and lots of it. Anyone can write a blog post however - I could create as many blog posts and articles as could five others!
What is your passion and how can you parlay it into a successful entrepreneurial endeavor? When you discover that uniqueness, it will lead to other entrepreneurial opportunities.
From 2009 until just seven months ago, I worked a full-time job during the day and built my company with any remaining free time. I’d long ago been bitten with the entrepreneurial bug and though my day job should've been more important, at some point, it ceased to be.
The time arrived for me to depart the life of corporate slavery. I am sure any serial entrepreneur understands what I mean. Your vision and goal must so overwhelm you that any other professional endeavor seems irrelevant! Where is this leading?
Build a solid foundation during any free time because the time will arrive when you, like I, will be forced to make a decision concerning what is most important. I will, in no way, slam nor otherwise degrade my former employer as do many. They paid me very well and allowed me the platform to further personal goals.
I owe them a debt of gratitude which could never be repaid. Because they demanded so little of me during the years which I worked for them, I was able to build my company while receiving a paycheck. It wasn't just me either. Many others did the same but hid their professional desires behind ‘ministry building’. As long as our tasks were accomplished, like recess at school, there was always time to play.
My last supervisor even allowed me to meet with his wife and her partner, on company time, to help build my business. How cool is that?
This isn't possible with most employers so many of you will have to double your efforts. I didn't only build my company during working hours but went home each day to do the same.
Many claim to not have the time, while working, to build their business. That is rarely the case! Think about it like being unsatisfied with a job and searching for another. Do you make time for the search and interviews? What about medical or other appointments? Do you organize time effectively enough to attend mandatory appointments?
Lack of time usually boils down to lack of effectively managing the same. As the New Year comes upon us, make a new commitment to living your dream no matter what the cost.
Brian D. Dale
SBDC TV
Let me share a little bit about my journey in hopes that it will encourage yours. I have written many times before about how this company was launched some 15 years ago and the circumstances which led to its formation. Since that long ago time, my company has undergone several makeovers but always keeping the end in mind. When speaking about commitment, that is the only thing which kept me pressing forward through many fruitless years of endeavor.
Although my company was launched, in earnest, in 2000, it was during the summer of 2009 when my efforts began to gain traction. Make no mistake - the nine years of fruitless labor had nothing to do with lack of effort! I tried hundreds of different ways to achieve the same goal and none of them yielded results. Why? I failed to realize what is most important to success - being myself.
Never forsake learning experiences and new tools in order to complete your goals. Goals, however, must be woven around your individual personality. You will never experience the level of success you seek when trying to be a clone of someone else. You are unique with gifts particular to who you are - never forget that.
For instance, many years ago, before many realized the value of creating online content, I came across an Internet marketing guru who obviously saw well into the future. In those days, setting up a website was pretty much enough to guarantee some form of brand exposure. I’d go further to say that websites were nothing more than online business cards of sorts.
I took the gurus advice and began to set up free blogs and any other tool which allowed me to gain traction for my company. I realized that I had boundless energy and a unique gift to create written content and lots of it. Anyone can write a blog post however - I could create as many blog posts and articles as could five others!
What is your passion and how can you parlay it into a successful entrepreneurial endeavor? When you discover that uniqueness, it will lead to other entrepreneurial opportunities.
From 2009 until just seven months ago, I worked a full-time job during the day and built my company with any remaining free time. I’d long ago been bitten with the entrepreneurial bug and though my day job should've been more important, at some point, it ceased to be.
The time arrived for me to depart the life of corporate slavery. I am sure any serial entrepreneur understands what I mean. Your vision and goal must so overwhelm you that any other professional endeavor seems irrelevant! Where is this leading?
Build a solid foundation during any free time because the time will arrive when you, like I, will be forced to make a decision concerning what is most important. I will, in no way, slam nor otherwise degrade my former employer as do many. They paid me very well and allowed me the platform to further personal goals.
I owe them a debt of gratitude which could never be repaid. Because they demanded so little of me during the years which I worked for them, I was able to build my company while receiving a paycheck. It wasn't just me either. Many others did the same but hid their professional desires behind ‘ministry building’. As long as our tasks were accomplished, like recess at school, there was always time to play.
My last supervisor even allowed me to meet with his wife and her partner, on company time, to help build my business. How cool is that?
This isn't possible with most employers so many of you will have to double your efforts. I didn't only build my company during working hours but went home each day to do the same.
Many claim to not have the time, while working, to build their business. That is rarely the case! Think about it like being unsatisfied with a job and searching for another. Do you make time for the search and interviews? What about medical or other appointments? Do you organize time effectively enough to attend mandatory appointments?
Lack of time usually boils down to lack of effectively managing the same. As the New Year comes upon us, make a new commitment to living your dream no matter what the cost.
Brian D. Dale
SBDC TV
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