5 Traits a Startup Owner Must Posses to Be Successful
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard. They also say that it took some vision, guts and willpower to build such an empire. While you may not be using human beings as pawns (seriously—don’t do that) or wreaking havoc across the world, you have the ability to create your own empire.
Some of the greatest organizations were built on faith and courage. In order to succeed in any field, you have to be willing to take chances. Take Twitter for instance—it wasn’t an overnight success like some might mistakenly believe. The founders grinded for two years until the business and now famous social media platform gained traction.
The founders of brands like Twitter—and many others—met many challenges, but they always kept the dream alive. The same can be said for many other small business owners out there. With their vision at the forefront of everything they do, lies the path of success.
So with that being said, what are some foundational things it takes to be successful? What traits does a startup or an entrepreneur have that makes them stand out?
Here are some traits a startup owner must posses to be successful.
#1 Vision
Vision takes more than a dream and willpower. It’s much more than that. When you have vision, you have the ability to become a mover and a shaker. Successful businessmen and businesswomen have a specific vision in mind and they know how they are going to do it. They know the who, what, where, when and why of their vision. In turn, this gives them the clarity to bring their dreams to fruition.
When starting your own company, begin with a well-researched business plan. This will steer you in the direction you need to go and it will keep you on track when it comes to covering all of your bases.
Having your vision in mind, you should do extensive research on where your focus will be, how you will achieve your goals and who can help you accomplish this.
- It’s incredibly important to identify your ideal customers and to learn as much as you possibly can about them. By doing this, you’ll begin answering many of the questions that will present themselves while refining your vision.
#2 Creativity
Creativity isn’t a trait everyone possesses, but it is something that can be tapped into.
Some of the most successful people surround themselves with diverse groups of people. Why is that? One person may be able to influence another in a way that enables them to tap into the right side of their brain when they may not have been able to do this on their own. This is why collaboration is key.
Through the use of creativity, difficulties can be challenged with unique solutions. It’s not always about thinking outside of the box, but rather on how you can use the box to your advantage.
#3 Persistence
Successful people are persistent. They don’t take no for an answer when it comes to finding a solution. If something isn’t working, they change their methods and start again.
When you want to see results, look at the problem from a different angle and keep going.
It’s cliche, but it’s true. Giving up doesn’t do anything for you. It only diminishes your hopes and sets a poor example for those who are looking to you for inspiration.
#4 Empathy
A successful owner needs to be empathic. Now this doesn’t mean that he or she needs to be so sensitive that when they see a flower blooming they start to cry. It does, however, mean that they should be understanding of others. When starting a business, you need to acknowledge the sacrifice that others are making in order to help you accomplish your dreams.
Empathy is a practice that should be evident in every area of your work. Remember that someone along the way was empathetic towards you.
#5 Caution
Startups are a risky business. As the captain of the ship, you have to do everything you can to mitigate your risks. Many can be avoided by “hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.” I’m not saying you need to be pessimistic—I’m saying that you need to be envisioning and preparing for any and all worst case scenarios that can negatively affect and destroy your fledgling business as it gets off the ground.
When launching any business endeavor, you have to protect you and your team by laying a legal foundation, validating your ideas and protecting those ideas.