Attributes of a Successful Business Owner

Being self-employed or starting a business takes hard work, patience and determination, but it is more than that. It takes entrepreneurship, dedication and commitment, but it is more than that. It takes someone who is organized, willing to learn from mistakes and keep going, even in the tough times.

Here are some of those characteristics:

• Hard worker – the days will be long and busy
• Patient – the rewards may come slowly
• Determined – “I will make it no matter what”
• Entrepreneurial – Able to see opportunities and analyze risk
• Dedicated and Committed – able to follow through
• Organized – able to manage many tasks and responsibilities
• Willing to learn from mistakes – we all make them
• Able to keep going in the tough times

Other important characteristics include:

• Good health and emotional stability – able to work through sickness
• Self control – able to forgo a social event when the business needs you
• Self confidence – “I can and will do this”
• Far sighted and detail oriented
• Realistic – seeing things as they are and dealing with them

The transition from being an employee to being self-employed is a difficult one for some people. As an employee we may be used to: going in to work when we’re asked and leaving at the end of our day; receiving a regular paycheque, benefits, sick days, holidays and other perks; someone else worrying about where the money will come from. Being prepared for the reality of self-employment is crucial. If you look at these lists and assess yourself honestly, and if you don’t see yourself embodying most if not all of those characteristics, don’t do it – work for someone else.