Most people know in their hearts whether they’ve got what it takes to be an entrepreneur or not. They’ve either got the capacity to grow and learn as a person, or they haven’t. When it comes to being an entrepreneur, it’s that ability to take on new information that really counts. When you have a growth mindset, nothing is out of your reach.
The problem is that the internet is awash with various tips and tricks claiming that anybody can be entrepreneurial. Facebook is full of inspirational quotes designed to get you off your backside and into the real world. But do you actually have the skills you need to make a success of it? Let’s find out.
You Can Deal With Failure
We’re taught from an early age that failure is something that is bad. Our whole school system is built on top of the foundation of failure and success. And it gets drummed into us at an early age that success is the only viable option. But this kind of thinking is poisonous to anybody who wants to see a more entrepreneurial society. Entrepreneurs face the prospect of failure on a daily basis. And many of them make mistakes and fail before they become great. But, it turns out, those mistakes and failures are essential. Without them, entrepreneurs wouldn’t be able to learn and get better.
You Can Spot New Trends
Business tends to move quickly. One moment everybody is focusing on SEO, the next it’s content, and blogging. Make a point of staying as up to date as you can with trends in your industry. Subscribe to a trade journal and get industry news forwarded to your news feed.
Also, spend some time thinking about which technologies could potentially impact your business. Think about how your business might be affected by upcoming revolutions like VR, real-time social media, and the IoT. All of these technologies have the potential to change the nature of business once again.
You’re A Lifelong Learner
Gone are the days when business leaders could learn a skill and be done with it. Now companies regularly chop and change with the times. Staying up to date with new skills is, therefore, essential for any business owner. In fact, it’s important for colleagues and coworkers too.
Today’s innovators in education are seeking to plug the skills gap. There are now a whole plethora of online courses for professionals on a range of diverse subjects. There are opportunities to learn everything, from how to make cupcakes to managing events.
You Know A Thing Or Two About SEO
Search engine optimization has become such an important part of business, and entrepreneurs need to know about it. You don’t have to know all the detailed tricks and sophisticated techniques. But you should have a good grasp of the concept of a keyword and how to use Google Analytics. Remember, when you start your business, you’ll be doing the work of every department, including marketing. So you’ll need to brush up on your SEO skills before you put all your money on the line.
You Can A/B Split Test
A/B split testing has become the cornerstone of evidence-based marketing. And thanks to the internet, it’s something that has become a lot easier. A/B testing is essentially a controlled experiment. You expose customers to one scenario and see whether it’s more effective than another in achieving a particular goal. Say, for instance, you want to test the effectiveness of a call to action. You’re trying to make your mind up about whether the call to action button on your website should be green or blue. A/B testing allows you to direct half your visitors to the green and half to the blue. Then, all you do is wait for the data to come arrive to see which button color was the most effective.
You Can Spot Talent
Many entrepreneurs have a sixth sense when it comes to other people. It’s what makes them so good at what they do. They can see within the first few minutes whether a person can be trusted or knows their stuff.
But if you don’t have that sixth sense, what can you do? Entrepreneur.com has an excellent article on hiring tips for early-stage startups. Having the right people on your team will give your business indispensable strengths. And if you get your hiring decisions right, you’ll develop a culture that will attract yet more talented people. This can then become a self-fulfilling cycle, as exemplified by companies like Google.