Entrepreneurial Strategies for Small Business Owners

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We all like to think we are entrepreneurs don’t we?

However most business owners are not. Just owning a business doesn’t qualify you as an entrepreneur, there are some very basic skill sets and attitudes that differentiate the average business owner from the entrepreneur.

Many smaller business owners have in truth just traded one job for another, and where they work longer hours for less money! This is a person who is really a self-employed mindset, notice the word ‘employed’ it says it all, these people have an employee mindset rather than an enterprising mindset. If this sounds like you, perhaps you will benefit from reading on

The entrepreneurial mindset is characterised by a few very definite attitudes, belief patterns and actions:

• Imagination – an entrepreneur is able to dream the big dream, not only the size of that dream, but see far into the future AND then use that vital imagination to see, hear, feel and fully experience what life will be like once he or she has achieved that life. I know one thing about this, if you find it difficult to imagine what life will be like at the end of that journey to your dream, perhaps it isn’t your dream!
• Vision – this sounds like the same thing as imagination, however it’s not, although you will definitely be using your imagination to create a Vision for your business so grand that motivating yourself to keep moving towards it is easy. Your vision will have certain outcomes, it will have a sense of value and contain all the personality and culture that is your business. It will also include some of the steps it will take to get there, why only some? Because at any given moment the universe can step in and mix things up, bring you a surprise opportunity you were not expecting and you need to be ready to respond without being too rigidly attached to your smaller goals. Having a vision also keeps you on track as new opportunities are laid out in front of you, you will have a testing ground for every opportunity that is offered – “Is it in line with your vision?”
• Initiative – try something new, do old things in a new way, just get out and do it even if it frightens you – get the job done! Taking initiative is something we prize in our children, when they go do a job that needs doing without being prompted – well that child inside of you who hates to be wrong, to fail, to look foolish is much the same, so when you show initiative don’t forget to pat yourself on the back just like you would your child.
  
• Fractal Thinking – fractal thinking is “outside the box” thinking, more than lateral thinking which is two dimensional, fractal thinkers are able to make connections between seemingly disparate objects and not only make them but see more of them. I had a university professor once who made this the initiate challenge of the new year, “Find at least, if you can more than, six connections between an apple and a star.” was the first project he gave in his subject. Can you find at least 6? I will give you a hint, go ask a 4 year old, “How is an apple like a star.” and see what happens.
• Patience – even when you are working hard everything takes time, if you are doing something very cutting edge, be prepared it will take more time as you will have to wait until others have caught up to your mindset. Keep doing what you are doing, do it in new ways, network, ask yourself “How can I?” rather than ‘Why can’t I?” and it will happen.
• Perseverance – a very similar lesson to the one above however with a work ethic attached. Choose to do what needs to be done every day, personally this is one of the most difficult for me as I tend to love adventure and the idea of doing the same things day after day bores me to tears, so mix it up, find ways to make it interesting, and “chop wood, carry water” – keep on keeping on just like the Energiser Bunny .
• Flexibility – are you flexible enough to be ready for that new opportunity? Have you the spontaneity it takes to be able to change track when you realise you are headed down a dead end, you will at time need to be flexible enough to let go and take that cross road and get back on the road to success. Remember though to test any new track or opportunity against that all important question, “Is this in line with my Vision?”
• Sociability – being social is now at the forefront of all business, and it is time to come out of the closet and get seen, heard and noticed as a person, not just as a business. You cannot ignore this going into the 21st Century and those who do will be forgotten.
• Handle Rejection – you will be rejected, some people will not like you, or feel comfortable around you, get used to it, it’s a fact of life. Choose to spend time with those who do like you and realise that rejection can mean more about the person who rejects you than about you. It can also mean you may need to look at how you are presenting yourself.
• Contribute – give of yourself, give of your time, give to help others, give value every time, in fact go overboard even doing what you love as a business is a way to contribute – so do that. My favourite values for entrepreneurs are: Care, Give, Connect, Engage, have Integrity, be Passionate and show it, have Enthusiasm and show it, be and have Fun and Adventure!
• Focus – stay focused on your vision, don’t listen to all those wonderful people who love you enough to try and save you from yourself, they are just living in fear of doing something new. If you are totally in love with your vision, keep it there in front of you and stay on track and navigate your way through the maze of life until you are there.
• Belief in self – entrepreneurs believe they can! You can do it, I know you can. You are a magnificent creation of the universe in this time at this place ready to reveal it to the world, and that’s exactly why you are here – so go do it!

Related articles

• Creating an entrepreneurial culture (csmonitor.com)
• Entrepreneur vs Business Owner (umayrjaved.wordpress.com)