Oct 18, 2012

6 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs


According to research and numerous studies, there are 6 characteristics
that heavily correlate with successful entrepreneurs:

1. Commitment and determination

2. Leadership

3. Opportunity obsession

4. Tolerance of risk, ambiguity, and uncertainty

5. Creativity, self-reliance and ability to adapt

6. Motivation to excel




Also, are 6 demographic/cultural factors that heavily
correlate with successful entrepreneurs:

1. Being the offspring of self-employed parents

2. Being fired from more than one job

3. Being an immigrant or a child of immigrants

4. Previous employment in a company with more than 100 people

5. Being the oldest child in the family

6. Being a college graduate



On the first list, I believe I've got a high dosage of all 6 attributes.

On the 2nd list, I've been there, done that, except for #3: I'm not an immigrant or a child of immigrants, and to be fair on # 1, my parents have gravitated more towards traditional employment rather than self employment during most of my life, having made several failed attempts. 



Original report written by Tom Byers, Heleen Kist, and Robert I. Sutton, each from Stanford University