7 Winning Traits of the 21st Century Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are job creators, bringing about new and improved products, services, and technology through their innovative ideas. All these have a ripple effect on the economy, as it contributes to increased employment, creates more qualified workers for industries, and generates more national wealth.

Entrepreneurial individuals have brought about every new technology and innovation in recent memory. That includes the likes of Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk.

With over 582 million entrepreneurs worldwide, being a 21st-century entrepreneur is a demanding and exciting challenge. The world is growing and changing so rapidly that it requires innovative thinking skills of an entrepreneur to stay ahead of their competitors and keep their businesses relevant and agile.

#1 Visionary - Think Big
If you don’t start by dreaming BIG, you’ll never move beyond mediocrity. Set goals that are, to others, unattainably high, and then work out how to reach them. Live your life as if all your dreams have already come true, and then challenge reality to catch up!

#2 Passion Breeds Authencity
What you get is what you see. You’re not trying to be something or someone that you’re not. The courage to be true to yourself in a world which is consciously/unconsciously trying to influence you to be someone else is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. But it requires vulnerability, honesty and transparency. No masks, be unashamedly you.

#3 A Winning Mindset
Success is 80% mindset and 20% strategy; therefore, your mindset is the most potent delivery system in your arsenal. You’ll face challenges daily and problems weekly whilst operating in a world full of negativity. But your one unassailable key to success lies in your ability to shut those messages out. A winning mindset enables winners to be confident they will achieve their goals.

#4 The Pragmatic Optimist
Pragmatic Optimist is a healthy tension between the two; Pragmatic because you’re grounded in reality – Optimist as the world needs more positivity. The glass is half full, not half empty. A can-do/will-do mentality. You are looking for the opportunity in the difficulty, not the difficulty in the opportunity.

#5 Goals-Orientated
Start with the end in mind. Dream BIG set Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals, and take massive action. Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible and how to turn your success definitions, vision and purpose into reality. If you want to be happy, set goals that command your thoughts, liberate your energy and inspire your dreams.

#6 Data-Driven
Data and real-time insight are your competitive advantage. Measuring the right things – Measures that Matter (MTM) – allows you to make proactive, informed, empirically validated decisions about how you can deliver accelerated, sustained, and profitable business growth. Decision-making is based on data and facts rather than opinions and emotions.

#7 Culture is Everything
Your competition will copy your products if they are good. They’ll copy your services and branding; they may even try to poach your people. However, there is one thing they’ll never be able to copy: your culture. Your culture is the very thing that makes your organisation special, distinct, and unique. It’s your competitive edge and advantage.