The curse and blessing of the entrepreneur
When most people think of entrepreneurs, they imagine the object of their dreams: a successful young person who just left their cushy corporate job in order to pursue their passions. The reality is that not everyone can be an entrepreneur — in some cases, it's almost impossible. Entrepreneurs are those who take risks and make the leap from one career path to another for the opportunities and freedom it offers them. It isn't always easy, but there are many benefits that come with this journey.
Despite all the challenges, there are countless positive aspects to being an entrepreneur — success is guaranteed as long as you keep your head up (and avoid major missteps). When most people think of entrepreneurs, they imagine a person who has or has had their own business. That's true, but there's more to it than just that. A lot of people have the entrepreneurial mindset, but don't necessarily want to pursue their own business.
If you're an entrepreneur but your goal isn't to run your own business, you need to know that the entrepreneurial mindset alone is enough to help you succeed in almost any field. They stay motivated and have the right mindset regardless of what they're working on at the moment. You need all these traits, but they're not enough to become successful — you also need to know what you should be doing to set yourself apart from everyone else.
Here are ten things that make entrepreneurs different, and will help you become one of them:
1. Entrepreneurs are goal-oriented. They don't just work in their field because they have no other choice — they have a reason behind it that draws them to it every single day.
2. They don't let problems get them down. They know that there will always be problems, and they will always be inevitable. They know that in order to solve a problem, you first need to identify it — and once you do so, you will already be one step ahead of your competition.
3. They do what others won't. Instead of worrying about the consequences their actions might bring to them or their reputation, entrepreneurs pay more attention to how beneficial those actions could be for them in the first place. When everyone else is afraid of something, they make sure everyone knows they're not afraid — no matter what it takes.
4. They don't care about the opinion of others — they trust themselves and their decisions more than anything else. They know that they won't be successful if they listen to other people and don't pursue their goals with all their heart.
5. They know what they're good at, and they don't try to do anything else. They don't need to do a million things at once. Instead of doing everything the way everyone else does, they stick to their strengths and weaknesses and make sure none of it stops them from achieving their goals in the future.
6. They have a backup plan for every scenario, because if everything goes wrong — which it will from time to time — you have to have something ready in its place. Instead of trying to figure out your next move, entrepreneurs have, at least, one plan for every situation.
7. They don't just give up on their goals. Instead of losing hope and thinking that their dreams are impossible, they keep going and never stop trying — even when it's hard.
8. They know that failure is part of the growth process — it's not something to be ashamed of or avoid; it's a stepping stone to success and learning opportunities that can help you in the future.
9. They approach problems differently than how everyone else does. Instead of trying to solve a problem the same way everyone else does, they take a different approach — and if it doesn't work out at first, they try something else until they find the answer.
10. Success is just around the corner — and so are you. When you've made it to this step, you know that you're almost there — and even if you fail at some point in your journey, success will come your way eventually. You don't need to be afraid or hesitant — just keep going after your goals with all your heart, and one day you'll achieve them all.
For more information:
http://www.inc.com/profile/luba-milgrom
Luba lives in Los Angeles and helps ambitious entrepreneurs use their gifts and talents to build successful online businesses. She is a co-Founder of DesignPickle and a former Head of Business Development at MillionaireMatch, a leading millionaire dating site that has helped thousands of people meet their soul mates. Luba holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Business from the University of British Columbia (UBC), as well as an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Connect with her on Twitter @Luba_milgrom or through her blog: The Path to Success .
Title: The First Step to Making Money in the Future
Author: Luba Milgrom
Date: September 29, 2016
For more information: http://www.inc.com/profile/luba-milgrom
The first step of making money in the future is quite simple – you need to decide what kind of work you want to be doing. While that may sound easy enough, it's actually one of the hardest things to do when setting out on your own. Before you can figure out how you're going to make money, you have to first decide what kind of business model you'll be using.
Depending on your industry, there are three main business models you can use – and they're not all the same. Here's a quick look at what each one entails and what your best option is based on your skills, personality and industry.
1. The Franchising Model
The franchising model is probably the most well-known type of company and that's because it has been around for a while now; it became popular in the 1950s when two brothers decided to open a hot dog diner and decided to start selling franchises at the same time. It's actually the oldest form of business model around today, and you can use this business model anywhere.
This type of business model is used primarily by startups and larger corporations. If you're an entrepreneur with experience in retail or service companies, then this is the way to go. This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs with a proven track record who understand their market and know how to build a loyal customer base.
Franchising works by people signing up to become franchisees – they pay an up-front fee, become part of the company and they agree to give the franchisor a percentage off their profits in exchange for access to all its services and products.
Conclusion: If you want to open a business and want stability, this is the best choice for you. This is a proven model that has been around for decades, and it allows you to own shares in your business.
2. The Co-Ownership Model
The co-ownership model is based on the idea that two owners of a company may have different skills – one may be better at customer service while the other excels at income management and accounting, for example. The co-owners can split their roles in the company 50/50 so they can each maintain their strengths while working together toward their goals.