What makes an entrepreneur?

Statistically, the average UK entrepreneur is a 36-year-old white male working in the construction industry.
But statistics can be very misleading. Because in fact, successful entrepreneurs and business owners come in absolutely all shapes and sizes: aged between 9 and 109, male, female, rich, poor, people with multiple doctorates and people who left school at 13, and from every ethnic background you can think of. What they have in common is the drive to make things happen.

This guide explains the personality traits that make entrepreneurs who they are. And if the below sounds like you, you could well make a great one.

Determination

• Starting and running a business is incredibly hard work and is usually riddled with complications, frustrations and constant set-backs.
• You have to be determined to succeed to pull yourself through these obstacles.
• You also have to be ready to put in incredibly long hours, every day of the week, for months - if not years.
• Determination is also what will keep you searching for the best contracts and deals for your business, or that one material you just can't seem to find - which often takes hundreds of phone calls for days on end.
• It's also vital for forging commercial partnerships with the people you want to - your perseverance will prove a lot about you and encourage others to trust in your ability.
• It is only with determination that you will plough on trying to find the business model, marketing technique, and sales strategy to make your business a real success - as these things can take years to refine and perfect.
• If you're not determined to make your business a success, you need to seriously question whether starting up is right for you.

Confidence

• You've got to have confidence to be able to get through the hard times. And there will be hard times: when you're working 14-hour days, it looks like you've just lost your life savings, and you're still not getting any customers. You need deep emotional reserves and inner confidence in yourself and your business idea to get through that.
• Confidence also enables you to approach the people you need on-side: commercial partners, lucrative clients, target customers, suppliers.
• It also reassures them that you know what you're doing, and so encourages them to work with you.
• Confidence will be an invaluable asset in any pitch or presentation you have to make.
• If you doubt your own confidence, fear not - there are ways to improve it. Try one of the multiple self-help books or website tutorials out there aimed at improving esteem.

Action-orientated

• Ideas are absolutely worthless unless you do something about them. You need to be a go-getter to make any aspect of your business happen.
• Entrepreneurs are the kind of people who just get on with things, rather than sitting around talking about them.
• You need, though, to be able to structure to your action. Just leaping in for the sake of it is foolish - you need to have clear paths of action to make a business idea a reality.

Passion

• Being passionate in business doesn't mean that you're a fiery, emotional, romantic hot-head - it means that you truly believe in the business you're building, that the idea behind it excites you, and that when you talk to people about what you're doing, it's obvious you're really into your new business and determined to make it work.
• Passion for a business idea - and the ability to communicate it - is what gets staff, investors, banks, customers and commercial partners interested in your idea.
• It can be fantastically convincing, and will always help you strike deals and bring in custom.
• It is also your passion that will motivate staff and suppliers when times are tough - you need to inspire them to keep working hard to make things happen.

Ability to see the bigger picture

• When you're running your own business, you'll face constant setbacks.
• You need to the kind of person who can see the bigger picture so these don't get you down.
• You also need to view finances, strategy and growth from a more holistic point of view so you can plan years into the future - as all businesses should - rather than just weeks or months.
• This is invaluable for your budgeting and business planning, and, so, for the survival of your business.

People person

• Business is all about relationships.
• To be successful, it'll really help if you're the kind of person who can build rapport easily and isn't afraid to strike up a chat.
• You also need to build a relationship with customers and make them want to do business with you because they like you.
• When people like you, it also increases their loyalty to your business - a crucial tool to help pull you through the darker times, or when a new competitor starts up just around the corner.

Risk-taker

• The very best entrepreneurs, with strings of companies and millions in the bank, are almost always the biggest risk takers.Without risk, there is no reward.
• That means grabbing an opportunity when you see one and not being afraid of failure.
• That said, entrepreneurs take calculated risks - which their actions may look flippant, you can rest assured that they're doing the maths inside their head to always make sure they've got a high chance of succeeding if they take a risk.
• Only a fraction of business owners become full-blown entrepreneurs - the type who run hundreds of businesses all across the world. But you can take inspiration from them, by trying to always remember to push yourself and your ideas that little bit further.

Not afraid of failure

• If you worry too much about failing, you'll never start a business. You have to be willing to fail if you want to succeed.
• Banishing a fear of failure also gives a massive boost to your confidence and risk-taking ability - after all, if the worst option isn't to be feared, you might as well have a go.
• You need to try to banish fear not just of your business failing, but also of an important contact turning you down or a client deciding not to do business with you. If you're always worried about this, it will stress you out far too much and make you seem much less confident.
• And remember - you learn best from your mistakesin business. Don't fear them - embrace them!

Opportunity-spotter

• Key for being able to identify market gaps, new customers, new product possibilities and, if you become a fully-fledged entrepreneur, new business opportunities.
• Opportunity-spotting often comes hand-in-hand with optimism - and the ability to take calculated risks.
• It'll help you find more inventive sales, PR, marketing and partnership ideas too.
• If you think this area needs work, start noticing how big companies are spotting new opportunities - how they capitalise on trends and target their advertising. And start reading books on how businesses have developed in new and creative ways.
• You'll know if you're an opportunity-spotter if you'realways coming up with ideas or you often see how products and business could be more efficient or more popular.

Financial thinker

• Entrepreneurs always think of profits and the bottom line. If you're not focused on making money or at least breaking even, you're not going to have a business for very long - just a cash-drain.
• Being able to calculate figures quickly will help, but it's not imperative. What is vital is that you always remember to work out costs and profit margin on everything you buy and sell and add or deduct it from your budget.
• Thinking through any financial decision carefullyis far more important than doing so quickly.

Related

http://www.smarta.com/advice/starting-up/starting-your-own-business/what-makes-an-entrepreneur

20 Ways To Maximize Your Levels Of Motivation

1 - Find your personal mantra

Think of a short slogan to keep your focused (It doesn’t have to be 3 paragraphs long, just a couple of powerful words will do) .Motivational quotes are a good mantra springboard, check ones these out when you need a head pump of motivation.

2 - Get enough sleep

Make sure to spend at least eight hours of your day in deep sleep to allow your body and mind to relax in readiness for the demanding journey ahead. The more R.E.M sleep the better, so make sure you rest your head at a suitable time, preferably before 11pm.

3 - Whatever you eat matters a lot

Whatever you eat can affect not just your physical health but also your psychological wellbeing.
If you are wondering how to get motivated it’s time you started choosing your meals more carefully – especially breakfast. Stick to high energy foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggs and low-fat yoghurt etc. to get the right supply of energy to keep the momentum you need to reach your goals.

4 – Plan your day out

Failure to plan is planning to fail! Get up in the morning and spend about 15 minutes planning your day. Keep in mind that this is a flexible plan just to provide you with a rough sketch of what to do during the day. This way you mentally know what needs to be done and you won’t float around the place with no direction.

5 – Get your swagga up!

The way we dress has a significant bearing to the way we feel throughout our day. Make sure you get out of your PJ’s, do your hair, brush your teeth, so that you are getting your mental and physical into the idea of being ready for something.

6 – Pump up the jamz

Music is a powerful source of motivation. Make it a habit to listen your favorite pumped up tune to inspire a little motivation and power to fight on.

7 – Your body deserves to be rewarded

If you want to stay motivated against all of life’s tides, you have to learn to love yourself first. Treat your body to something nice after achieving certain goals along the way, stretch, pamper your self or grab a massage from a nearby and willing friendly.

8 – Don’t just sit there, get active

If you see yourself spending the most part of your day sitting in front of the TV, you are likely to lose the zeal to take on various life challenges. Hit the road, smash the weights, bounce a ball or skip to get your blood flowing.

9 – Remember some of your best moments

Take a couple of minutes to rush through your peak moments to create a sense of fulfillment. This is a fast and effective positivity technique that really does work.

10 – Don’t just dream; dream biggest

If you can dream it, you can achieve it! So, dream on… and wake up ready to actualize your dreams.

11 – Subscribe to motivational newsletters and emails

Keep feeding your mind with positive content. Identify some top-notch inspirational names on the net and subscribe to their mailing lists to receive constant support messages. Or just visit Addicted2Success.com on the daily

12 – Associate with positive minded people

If you tend to spend the bulk of your time around negative, de-motivated and short-term friends, chances are that you are also going to lose your focus. Invest in inspired and optimistic friends. Jim Rohn said it best when he said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

13 – Share your goals

To create a sense of responsibility, share your goals with close friends and accomplices.

14 – Don’t do it single-handedly

Don’t block your path to success by locking out important people out of your life. Make sure to invest in a stable support network. Strength in numbers baby!

15 – One step at a time

Being successful is something gradual. Take small but smart steps and before you realize it, you’ll have achieved a huge milestone. Remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

16 – Look at the glass as half full, not half empty

Pessimism can ruin your motivation greatly. Learn to stay positive in your quest by focusing on your positive achievements rather than on your failures. From each failure we learn how we can do things even better the next time. Embrace your failures and keep your head up because you are one step closer than you were yesterday.

17 – Get real with yourself

If you feel de-motivated, find a mirror and give yourself a good look. Urge yourself forward by saying something like…”James you can make it!” Affirmations work, they pump you up and help you psych yourself into the state of mind needed to make things happen.

18 – Read inspirational books

Books are golden gems as far as motivation building is concerned. Read motivational books, listen to audio books while you drive, read auto biographies of those who you admire, the greats, those who have persevered through thick and thin.

19 – Take a deep breath

Take a second to chill, breathe in deeply and exhale slowly ten times. As you do so, take time to think of good things in your life (as suggested in tip 9). We are more effective when we are not scatter brained about things, you want to be as clear minded as possible to focus on your goals for the day, week or month.

20 – Invest in others

This is actually the most powerful motivation tip of them all. If you help others, it will empower you with a fulfilling energy to achieve great things yourself. You are someone of value, your confidence levels will be boosted and you will have more faith in what you are capable of because you have shown to yourself, and others, that you are a man of value heart and skills.

Related
http://addicted2success.com/motivation/20-ways-to-maximize-your-levels-of-motivation/

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Three Tips to Find a Good Investment

During your journey to financial freedom, you will hear many stories about investing. For example:

• A financial advisor may tell you how an industry is about to have a huge, growth explosion and the stocks he is selling you will skyrocket in value.
• A real-estate investor may give you first dibs on an apartment she is selling near a growing area in Detroit where there are plans to build a manufacturing plant along with hundreds of new jobs.
• Your cousin may ask you to invest in his new invention to remove bed bugs, but he doesn’t have a solid business plan in place.

Every investment has a story, and it’s up to you to figure out if you’ll participate in how the story plays out or not.
Since I started my financial education, I’ve heard many investment stories like these. I listen carefully, but then I look at them as mysteries that need to be solved. Recently, I talked about the importance of becoming familiar with numbers in your quest for financial freedom. Well, numbers play a huge role in choosing good investments from bad investments. When looking at a potential investment, you rely on your financial education, experience, guidance from mentors and coaches, and your instincts. But more important, you rely on the numbers because…
The Numbers Don’t Lie.
When it comes to investment stories, look at the numbers. If someone pitches an investment to you, ask for the numbers. If they give you a huge prospectus or presentation that gives a good, first impression, ask for the numbers. After all, as I say in “It’s Rising Time!”...
“The bigger the brochure, the worse the deal. If the offering is not clear and concise, then chances are, the investment is anything but great.”
So how do you figure out if an investment is good or bad? Ask these questions:

• What are all the numbers related to the investment – past, present and worst- and best-case scenarios of future numbers?
• Why and how will this investment increase in value in the future?
• What is the expected rate of return on the money I put in this investment?

Use these questions to obtain information and start your research. Even if you trust someone, check to see if their numbers are correct. It’s a good learning experience. Plus, people trying to sell something tend to expand the truth... even if they are powerful and respected. For example, according to an article in Harvard Business Review, a study done by Dana Carney from Columbia University Graduate School of Business found that, “a sense of power buffers individuals from the stress of lying and increases their ability to deceive others.”
The numbers don’t lie. Keep this in mind as you move forward on your journey to financial freedom. Learn to overcome your fear of numbers and use them to uncover the mysteries of a good investment versus a bad investment.
What are you going to do today to increase your knowledge of investment numbers?
For help, check out our free, Rich Dad financial education community here
Related
http://www.richdad.com/Resources/Rich-Dad-Financial-Education-Blog.aspx

Best Small Business ideas

Are you an entrepreneur looking for the best small business ideas? Do you need a list of business ideas for beginners or startup business ideas with low investment? Do you want to quit your job this year and start a business? Then please read on because this article is for you.

In this article, I will be revealing the best small business ideas for 2013, best franchises opportunities, new startup business ideas, home based business ideas for students and who wish to take the entrepreneurial bull by the horn this year. This list of entrepreneurial ideas will prove useful to all entrepreneurs; regardless of the available start up capital.

An entrepreneur with a startup business capital of $1,000 or less can take advantage of the business opportunities list here just as the entrepreneur with a million dollar startup capital. The only difference between these two classes of entrepreneurs will be their level of play. So don’t be deterred by the magnitude of startup capital at hand; after all, Rome was not built in a day.

Before I list my best small business ideas for the year, I want to clearly state that this list does not in any way replace the need for you to do a feasibility study and come up with a winning business plan, so take note. Also bear in mind that this list does not in any way minimize the business challenges involved with starting a business; neither does it make the entrepreneurial process easier, nor does it eliminate the risk of business failure.

Who will Benefit Most from these Proven Successful Small Business Ideas

• Men
• Entrepreneurs
• Women and House wives or Moms
• Kids and Teens
• College students
• Employees and Civil servants
• Retirees

A useful advice for those seeking the top small business ideas

In as much as I have taken pain to prepare this list, I want to point out an honest truth and that truth is this:

“There is nothing like the best business idea or opportunity. There is nothing like the best business environment or business plan, you just have to work with what you have and understand it to the core.”

The truth is that you can find success in any industry or sector you choose. All you need is to understand your customer’s need and add a little innovation to your business. So whether you are searching for internet business ideas, good work from home low capital business ideas or manufacturing business ideas; you will surely find this article useful. I think I have said it all; it’s up to you now to either accept the reality or continue to chase shadows. So if you are still ready for something new; then read on as I share with you 50 great startup business ideas for the year.

How to Create or Choose the Best Small Business Ideas

• What is the best business to start?
• Best small business ideas
• Checklist for starting a business
• How to create million dollar business ideas
• How to start a new business – it takes more than just an idea
• How to file a patent application for your idea
• How to make millions of dollars fast with your ideas
• How to sell your ideas

Top 50 List of Best Small Business ideas: Startup Business ideas for 2013

• Start an internet business

Do you intending starting an internet business or a brick and mortar? Well, regardless of the industry you intend breaking into or the business idea you have your sleeves; it is advisable you build an internet company around it. Putting your business on the web is probably the best venture ever. Why? The reason is because the internet is still a rapidly growing trend, thus making an online business a hot one. All you need to start your own internet business is just a little innovation on your already existing idea. Jeff Bezos did it with Amazon, by putting a bookstore on the web. You can do the same.

• Start a food retail or wholesale business

Food retail business is one business I am passionate about; especially staple foods. Why? The reason is because humans must eat to survive. Regardless of the economic condition, or your personal financial situation; you must eat. With an ever growing demand for food worldwide, propelled by a rapidly bursting population; the food business is something you should start today.

• Green business ideas

The green business industry is a rapidly growing trend. Just as the internet was a fast growing trend in the 80s, the green business is the next wave of trend that will create millionaires and billionaires. In fact, this is an innovative hot business opportunity with a future potential. With a increase in eco-consciousness and the need to conserve energy; you definitely need to go green now before it’s too late. You can practically venture into the industry in any capacity; from retailing energy bulbs, solar panel and installation, inverters and power generators, etc.

• Start a cleaning business

You can start a cleaning business in any capacity ranging from carpet cleaning, floor cleaning, roof cleaning, office cleaning, foreclosed properties cleaning, home cleaning, etc. You can also operate this business on a part time basis.

• Start a gift basket business targeting corporate entities and individuals
• Start a home health care business
• Start a lawn care business. This business can yield profit especially in small towns. You can target individuals and companies.

• Start a catering business

As a caterer, you can choose to go into full scale catering services alongside event planning services or you may decide to specialize on food cooking, snacks baking or cakes, barbeque preparation, etc.

Service Business ideas

• 10 Unique service business ideas to start
• 15 Profitable B2B Business service ideas

Industry Based Business Ideas

• 86 Green Business ideas
• Small Manufacturing business ideas
• 14 Education business ideas and opportunities to start
• Entertainment Business ideas
• Retail Business ideas
• Top 10 Real Estate business ideas
• Best Online Business ideas
• Web based business ideas
• 5 Start-up I.T business ideas
• 10 Technology business ideas

Regional Business ideas

• Small Scale business ideas in India
• Business ideas in Nigeria

Gender Based Business ideas

• Work from home ideas for moms
• Innovative product ideas to sell
• Money making business ideas
• Small scale business ideas for women
• Business ideas for college students
• Business ideas for teenagers
• Business ideas for stay at home moms
• Business ideas for retirees
• Self employment ideas
• Recession proof business ideas
• 10 Best entrepreneurship ideas
• Extra Income ideas
• Start your own bookkeeping services business
• Start a signage business
• Start a small export business
• Start a car insurance business
• Start a mail order business
• Start a mini day care centre
• Start an Energy Conservation Consultancy business
• Start a pest control business. You can run this business on weekends while still keeping your day job.
• Start a raw food restaurant

Top 50 List of Best Small Business ideas: Startup Business ideas for 2013

• Start a business selling used books
• Start a mini fitness training centre and making money while having fun
• Start a tutorial centre on anything e.g. web design, crafts, hair dressing, etc
• Turn your love for babies into a business by starting a babysitting service.
• Start a hair braiding business
• Start a barbing salon in your neighborhood
• Start a private process server business
• Start a website building business from your basement and earn some income
• Start a mobile detailing business

• Start a mobile phone repair centre

As the world goes mobile, there will be an increase in mobile phone usage and also smart phone usage. You can position as a repair expert and make cool money.

• Start a mobile bookshop business
• Start a mobile library

• Start a poultry business

The poultry business itself is a broad niche. You may decide to focus on Domestic fowls or hen, ducks, quails, turkeys, guinea fowls, peacocks, etc. You may also decide to go into operating an incubator or hatchery, poultry feed production and retailing, egg production, etc.

• Start a janitorial business

Top 50 List of Best Small Business ideas: Startup Business ideas for 2013

• Start an elderly home care business
• Start a beauty care salon business
• Start an auto detailing business
• Start a photography business and make money with your camera
• Start a computer repair centre
• Start an electronics repair shop
• Start a cattle rearing business
• Start a crafts exportation business on Etsy
• Start a catfish rearing business. You can do this business whether you reside in a rural or urban area.
• Start a mobile car wash business
• Start a pet sitting day care business
• Start a dog grooming service business
• Start a freelance writing business
• Start an event planning business
• Start a printing business
• Start a network marketing business from home
• Start an oil recycling business
• Start a junk hauling business
• Related
• http://www.strategicbusinessteam.com/small-business-opportunity/list-of-101-best-small-business-startup-ideas-for-the-year/

How to Train Your Brain to Stay Focused

 

image credit: Shutterstock

As an entrepreneur, you have a lot on your plate. Staying focused can be tough with a constant stream of employees, clients, emails, and phone calls demanding your attention. Amid the noise, understanding your brain’s limitations and working around them can improve your focus and increase your productivity.
Our brains are finely attuned to distraction, so today's digital environment makes it especially hard to focus. "Distractions signal that something has changed," says David Rock, co-founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute and author of Your Brain at Work (HarperCollins, 2009). "A distraction is an alert says, 'Orient your attention here now; this could be dangerous.'" The brain's reaction is automatic and virtually unstoppable.
Related: 8 Tips for Finding Focus and Nixing Distractions
While multitasking is an important skill, it also has a downside. "It reduces our intelligence, literally dropping our IQ," Rock says. "We make mistakes, miss subtle cues, fly off the handle when we shouldn't, or spell things wrong."
To make matters worse, distraction feels great. "Your brain's reward circuit lights up when you multitask,” Rock says, meaning that you get an emotional high when you're doing a lot at once.
Related: The Truth About Multitasking: How Your Brain Processes Information
Ultimately, the goal is not constant focus, but a short period of distraction-free time every day. "Twenty minutes a day of deep focus could be transformative," Rock says.
Try these three tips to help you become more focused and productive:
1. Do creative work first. Typically, we do mindless work first and build up to the toughest tasks. That drains your energy and lowers your focus. "An hour into doing your work, you've got a lot less capacity than (at the beginning)," Rock says. "Every decision we make tires the brain."
In order to focus effectively, reverse the order. Check off the tasks that require creativity or concentration first thing in the morning, and then move on to easier work, like deleting emails or scheduling meetings, later in the day.
2. Allocate your time deliberately. By studying thousands of people, Rock found that we are truly focused for an average of only six hours per week. "You want to be really diligent with what you put into those hours," he says.
Most people focus best in the morning or late at night, and Rock's studies show that 90 percent of people do their best thinking outside the office. Notice where and when you focus best, then allocate your toughest tasks for those moments.
Related: 4 Ways to Disconnect and Get More Done Without Unplugging Completely
3. Train your mind like a muscle. When multitasking is the norm, your brain quickly adapts. You lose the ability to focus as distraction becomes a habit. "We've trained our brains to be unfocused," Rock says.
Practice concentration by turning off all distractions and committing your attention to a single task. Start small, maybe five minutes per day, and work up to larger chunks of time. If you find your mind wandering, just return to the task at hand. "It’s just like getting fit," Rock says. "You have to build the muscle to be focused."

Read more stories about: Productivity, Focus, Multitasking

Related
http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225321