Entrepreneurship is no less than art. The idea behind entrepreneurship is to establish a business organisation with certain objectives. There are no limits on entrepreneurship. You do not necessarily need a university degree, a load of money in the bank or even business experience to start something that could become the next major success. However, you do need a strong plan and the drive to see it through.
In order to be a successful entrepreneur, you ought to learn the ethics of business. Entrepreneurs are highly idolised for their work qualities. If you have been looking for guidance about how to be an entrepreneur and the business success, then this article will help unfold the pages of success mantras, which many entrepreneurs follow.
Walk Your Talk
To be a successful entrepreneur, you have to develop the right attitude. The right attitude is head up, never moan, always positive and upbeat, constantly looking for the edge. The right attitude is developing standards and sticking to them. Be sure of your bottom line and know when to make a stand. The right attitude is being aware that you have enormous power and that you will exercise that power with kindness, restraint, humanity and consideration. You will take the moral high ground and be blameless.
Additionally, managing your energy is also an important aspect of a successful entrepreneurship. When entrepreneurs start out, they would often pour their energy and hearts out into their business. As a result, well-being and energy are being neglected, and this will bring about a detrimental effect in the long run. Your energy is one of your most essential resources and it does not look after itself. It is your job to look after yourself and make sure that your energy is there when it is needed.
Know that You Are Being Judged at All Times
As a leader, everything about you speaks volumes to others. The way you dress, the car you drive, how you talk and walk — everything about you is subject to the judgment of others. This is when you can use it to your advantage. As you walk through the office first thing in the morning, there should be a spring to your step. While the others crawl in sleepy and exhausted, you will arrive fresh and energetic, ready for the day’s work. This will exude confidence, which signals to the rest that you are lively and ready for the challenges the day will throw your way.
Next, everyone will be looking at the way you speak and write; hence how you speak and write to others is of utmost and critical importance. Speaking well means getting information across clearly and effectively. There are four key concepts to get you speaking well: bright, clear, pleasant and simple. On the other hand, for writing, always ensure that your writing is spelling and grammar free. When writing by hand, make sure that your writing is legible and neat, especially when it is meant for others.
Lastly, develop a style that gets you noticed. That means tasteful, formal, civilized, sophisticated, elegant, cultured, refined, and discerning. These are the various options of style for you to adopt and make it your own trademark:
- Choose one thing and get known for it — always wear black, or double breasted, or Armani, or have a classy handbag / briefcase collection.
- Never wear anything tight — loose clothes talk of quality and elegance; tight clothes are of poverty and cheapness.
- Always dress up rather than down — formal wear always serves the best.
- Less is more — cut down on jewelry and wear only the very best, the finest that you can afford.
- When wearing make-up, stick to what suits you, what makes you look good. Do not change your makeup with the seasons or with what is in vogue — be known for your look, be instantly recognisable and be stylish.
Have a Plan
Do you know where you are going? Do you have a path planned out for what will happen in one, five or ten year-time? Successful entrepreneurs have a plan, both short-term and long-term. Short-term plans typically include your work deadlines and prioritised tasks, whereas long-term plans include your end goal. However, you must remain flexible and convert your plan according to the circumstances as things may vary in the future. Hence, within your plans, you have to develop contingency plans too.
After developing a plan, it is time to put it into action. Soon, you will come to terms that it may not be feasible to execute your plan all the time. There will only be a certain window of opportunity for you to execute your plan and showcase your strengths to the world. And you will only strike and seize the opportunity when the time comes, and this may only last for as fast as a split second. Lose it, and this opportunity may be gone for good. The best way to prepare for this is to identify and anticipate key times and events, and once the opportunity comes, play them well.
Another way to prepare for opportunities is to anticipate threats and take them as an opportunity. Threats will come at us from every direction and every day. However, not all threats turn into reality. Some induce fear and causes unnecessary stress. You will have to anticipate threats and take advantage of them to improve yourself. As a leader, you will have to face them with a positive attitude and deem it as a chance to prove yourself or improve. Continuous learning and upgrading are good ways to constantly anticipate and deal with real-time threats.
Be a Good Listener and Only Speak Sense
As an entrepreneur, you are at the top of your organisation and the person overseeing the overall operations of the business. However, this also implies that you can be oblivious to some details that happen on the ground. The only way to attain more facts and have a better grasp of what is going on around you is by being a good listener. Listening is an art that requires learning and practicing over time. Once you have mastered the art of listening, you will be seen as someone who is intelligent and compassionate, someone who is on alert and top of your job.
Besides being a good listener, you will also have to project the right image as a leader – the wise, reliable, sophisticated, trustworthy and experienced person. It is wise to speak occasionally, rather than talking excessively and saying the wrong things. Think carefully before you speak and chances are, you will speak sense. This will gain you the reputation of being a wise and reliable leader. As time progresses, people will come to you for advice and guidance because they know that you are aware of what is going on. This is especially important for startups, as these organisations tend to be smaller and more focused.
About BlackStorm Consulting
BlackStorm Consulting is a boutique growth consultancy firm that specialises in corporate strategy, profit management and investment management. We mainly serve clients in four sectors: FinTech, Gaming, Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT), and manufacturing.
Our clients and connections are internationally present and range from small and medium sized businesses, MNCs, to government agencies.
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