Visionaries, dreamers and creatives turn to entrepreneurship to get their idea off the ground. Even though entrepreneurship has been around for centuries, today’s cultural obsession seems to be joining the startup world and creating ‘the next big thing.’ Yet, not everyone is cut out to become the successful one.
Before you jump into the startup market, take a step back and double check what makes you successful. There are multiple variables that will determine your success or failure — and an overlooked variable is the founder’s personality. Throughout time, skilled workers who used to be assets are now liabilities, simply because their mindset and personality is not suited for the entrepreneuer world.
Here are the nine characteristics of a successful entrepreneurial startup. Do you have what it takes?
Visionary
A Visionary encourages others, suggests new ideas, and inspires the entire team. The ability to think outside-the-box is one of their most distinguishable characteristics. Even when the visionary brings in the big ideas, they also have to communicate the important information to the others. In addition to the founders and executives, employees should also be able to visualize the future of the business. It’s necessary to have multiple visionaries scattered throughout the business so when one dreamer burns out of ideas, another visionary picks up the slack and keeps trying to take the business to the next level.
Tip: Don’t sacrifice your own goals while fulfilling others dreams.
Follow-Through
After a dream is shared by the visionary, that dream is taken by the follow-through, and they run with it. The best managers have the follow-through mentality so they can stay on task without being carried away with multiple ideas by providing structure and order. Even though multiple visions are useful, teams need to work on tangible tasks to help achieve their dream. The follow-through sets the goals, outlines each role, and makes sure every team member understands their work on the project. As a result. team members feel more comfortable when they can bring in new ideas to the follow-through for an honest review. This manager is trustworthy, humble and gives credit to those who deserve it.
Tip: your own goals shouldn’t be sacrificed while making everyone else’s dreams come true.
Mind Reader
The person who can anticipate the next move while looking at the big picture is the mind reader. They are self-motivated, requiring minimal directions to do their job. Some of the mind reader’s specialties are invention, innovation, and intuition.
Tip: Respect boundaries. Don’t overstep and take credit for what you haven’t earned.
Been There, Done That
The most common excuse for half of all failed startups is the market need becoming non-existent for their idea. The ones who fill that market need to become the best company in their respective industry. People with real-world experience are needed to fill this hole. The been there, done that has that experience. At one point, they have had the same problem as the company has now. With their knowledge from the streets and hands-on experience, the company can trust them to help them fix their problem. They are willing to speak up about past challenges. They are also humble, transparent, and eager to bring success to the company.
Tip: Don’t let your previous experience lead you to become an egotistical know-it-all.
Morale Booster
Burn-outs are very common as a startup and entrepreneur. The person responsible for keeping burn-outs from happening is the morale booster. The morale is kept high by the morale booster when the deadline is fast approaching and stress is at an all-time high. When the deadline is fast approaching, team members start to tune out the rest of the world. This is perfect for short-term work, but this focused intensity can become a negative in the future. Connections to other team members can be broken, but the morale booster keeps those connections in tact. The team collaboration needs to be balanced with individual contributions, and the morale booster helps ensure this.
Tip: Avoid being the cheerleader at inappropriate times. This can distract your teammates.
Busy Bee
There’s a busy bee inside all of us, but some have this personality trait more than others. The productivity of The Worker Bee is astounding; they get more tasks done in one hour that would take most people an entire day. The Worker Bee is a humble servant, helping out wherever the help is located. Instead of complaining about the task “not being a part of their job description,” they just do the task at hand.
Tip: Be careful to not get burned out.
Go-Getter
The go-getter is full of energy, passion, and enthusiasm. They are also self-motivated and zealous contributors to the company. Their confidence is high; it’s as if they know they will succeed no matter what. Once they make a decision, they don’t look back or get discouraged easily when their decision doesn’t go as planned.
Tip: Be careful to not go so fast that you run over your other teammates.
Caregiver
The Caregiver, as the name implies, takes care of everyone. The needs of the company and the customers come first, making them the ultimate team player. Coming into the office early and staying late is their motto. They’re always looking for ways the company can create a better experience for employees, employers, and consumers.
Tip: Don’t have unrealistic expectations for the company. Don’t assume your priorities matches everyone else’s priorities.
Determined
The one characteristic not to be left off this list is perseverance. At the start of any startup, the mountain seems so high to climb, and the road to the top becomes bumpy and wild. That’s normal; no matter the idea, there are challenges on the road to success. How the company responds to the challenges will determine who will stay as an asset and who will become a liability. The determined one digs deep, keeps going, and perseveres through tough bumps in the road. This attitude pulls everyone else along for the ride. To them, quitting is not an option.
Tip: Don’t give in to the negativity of the workplace. Stay strong!
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