There is a consensus in the business world, says NovaTechFX of Kingston, St. Vincent, and The Grenadines, that starting your own business is extremely risky. While there are no hard statistics to back it up, research indicates that more than 50% of new businesses fail within the first five years.
While having a good idea for a business and a passion for what you’re selling help, most experts agree that it takes certain personality traits and skills to survive in today’s cut-throat market. Here are some of them.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
Communication Skills
Entrepreneurs tend to wear many hats during the day, assuming roles such as visionary, motivator, and negotiator. To do all that it takes to be successful in today’s business climate, you have to communicate with people from all walks of life. Presentations, meetings, and negotiations are a huge part of the entrepreneurial lifestyle, says NovaTechFX, so you need a way to communicate your ideas effectively to move forward.
Leadership Skills
When running a company, you don’t have time for everyone on your team, so you have to learn how to inspire them with your vision while holding each person accountable for their specific tasks. Leadership skills help get things done more efficiently and get others excited about what they’re doing (and why).
Ambition
Running a business today requires the ability to think on your feet, says NovaTechFX, and adapt while maintaining a long-term vision. It isn’t easy to generate new ideas every day while also being self-disciplined enough to make sound financial decisions for years down the road.
Creativity
To keep your business ahead of your competitors – both small and large – you have to be creative with marketing strategies, fiscal management, time management, and product development. You can’t get stuck in a rut from too much routine because it will kill your company quickly if you do.
Problem Solving Skills
If there is one thing that entrepreneurs are known for, says NovaTechFX, it is their problem-solving skills. With all that they have going on personally and professionally, entrepreneurs need to think on their feet and find solutions for issues.
Willingness To Learn
Entrepreneurs are generally self-starters who have to learn everything on the job – from basic accounting principles to product development. It takes an ability to listen and pay attention, as well as ask for help when you need it. One of the biggest reasons small businesses fail is because owners refuse to delegate, take advice or hire consultants (or all three).
Ability To Listen
Most people fail at their business because they don’t know how to listen. You may think you know what’s best, but you must understand what your customers want and need before spending money on development or marketing for a product.
Assertiveness And Confidence
Being an entrepreneur means having a high level of confidence in yourself and your ideas. Even if you’re starting, says NovaTechFX, you have to be able to stand up for what you believe in, even when it takes place on a national or global stage.
Persistence
Failing is not an option for entrepreneurs – especially when they know they are onto something big. You have to be willing to take risks while knowing when to cut your losses and move on to the next idea. Without this quality, businesses will never thrive, no matter how good the idea is.
Perseverance
For a company to grow and succeed, you have to be willing to work hard. Even if business is good, entrepreneurs still see their fair share of challenges – layoffs, broken promises from vendors or clients, and more. It takes perseverance to work through these issues while maintaining a positive attitude.
Courage And Risk-Taking
No business can be successful without taking risks and moving outside of its comfort zones. You have to be willing to launch a new product, market in a previously untested way, and take other chances to achieve your ultimate goal: success.
Productivity
To grow a company, you have to be able to manage your time well and stress levels. There are plenty of distractions for entrepreneurs – both at work and home – so it takes the ability to eliminate these downfalls to get things done.
Organizational Skills
You have to be organized to run a successful business, especially if you’re starting with limited funding or resources. Organization skills help entrepreneurs stay on top of their day-to-day operations without losing track of their long-term goals.
Networking
Networking is extremely important for business owners, especially those with a small team and a limited budget. You can’t afford to miss any opportunities or costs – such as lost sales or marketing connections – so networking plays an invaluable role in your company’s success.
Ability To Hire Effective People And Let Them Do Their Jobs
Hiring the right people and letting them do their jobs properly is crucial for business owners, even when you’re well established. If you micromanage, your employees will become less productive and feel like they cannot use their talents to the fullest extent – which does nothing but hurt your business in the long run.
Takeaway
However, all of these skills are useless without a healthy dose of common sense. More than anything else, you will need good business sense to succeed as an entrepreneur.
The fact is that entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone – it’s not even considered the “safe” way of doing things anymore. If you decide to go this route, though, make sure you have the necessary skill set before starting your new company. The last thing you want is to fail because of something simple like poor communication or lack of motivation.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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