Have the characteristics required by an entrepreneur changed?

Over the weekend, as I took some time to go through old notes, to throw some out and scan the rest – the thing that occurred to me most readily as I looked through these (often handwritten) pages, was that some things never change for the entrepreneur, even if the method of business changes in many ways and is in fact continually changing.

As the French say “tout change mais rien ne change” – everything changes but nothing changes.

Here is a list of qualities of an entrepreneur, which I think is as relevant today as it would have been hundreds of years ago and even in the last century – just nine years ago!

The entrepreneur is:

• Physically and mentally resilient
• Needs or desires control
• Self-confident when in control
• Driven
• Able to develop a general overview of the situation
• High conceptual ability
• Low need for the trappings of success (an interesting one!)
• More concerned with people’s accomplishments than their feelings
• Attuned to challenge – not risk-entrepreneurs minimise risk
• Prepared to take responsibility
• Positive and optimistic in outlook
• Has a vision for the future
• Understands and relates to people without necessarily creating close personal relationships
• Uses sources of information particularly from experienced people. Has humility
• Tolerant and adaptable
• Prepared to spend time thinking about goals, opportunities visions and the future
• Creative

It’s an interesting list, particularly to ask of ourselves and to relate to when we think about the great entrepreneurs of our time. I am reminded of one of our greatest entrepreneurs on the day of his burial, Victor Smorgan – what a truly amazing story, what an extraordinary man.

To read more Marcia Griffin expert advice, click here.

Marcia’s latest book, High Heeled Success (pictured left), and is a frank account of building a business from a solitary sales person to a multi-million dollar business with 4700 sales consultants around Australia and New Zealand. Contact Marcia to purchase. Marcia’s latest venture is skin care company griffin+row.