Interpreting an Entrepreneur and how to be one

I have a superpower! Ok it’s not *super* as in Superman thing, it’s a skill I’ve acquired over time and experience. I can easily make out a person’s capabilities, potential and worth from a 2 minute chat with him/her, understand the psychology,mold it and play with it the way I want  and this is exactly what I did to a bunch of entrepreneurs today to make them realize what they are and what they are not but could be.

There is something that has been bugging me ever since I got back from *unnamed* meet-up and I just had to write about this because, I’m so surprised at people’s [horribly wrong] interpretation of the word “Entrepreneur”. For those who don’t know, the word “Entrepreneur” comes from French words “entre” (to enter) and “prendre” (to take), which applies to a person starting a new project or trying out new opportunities and challenges. I remember reading someone’s tweet “Entrepreneurs are strugglers and leaders who eventually do what they want somehow.”

But the thing with people is that they are calling themselves entrepreneurs and yet are not ready to stand up to a challenge and take a simple risk. You can find a lot of such people touting around social networks, spamming about themselves or their new great product (which actually is a copy of something that already have been in market or worse, it is something that doesn’t even solves a problem) without even trying to take some time out introducing themselves or even completing their profile information or at least sounding social. The thing that I like about them is that they are always ready “to help your business”, even though the first business they need to help is their own and not go around screwing someone else who could just do a lot better without their assistance.

What you need to understand is that establishing yourself as a “Guru” or a “Leader” could be easy among a bunch of newbies but you are not a “Guru” or a “Leader” until you have contributed something that gave others a “ahh! This is good stuff” moment.     

To be a leader, and end up as an entrepreneur, you should:

1. Educate yourself in every aspect of your niche and learn to market effectively. You don’t get success by just getting online and posting on your facebook wall or tweeting random quotes by infamous people.

2. Try and hang out with the leaders in your niche. They usually are fun loving people who love to network and this is where you could effectivly use the social networking thingy. Go ahead, follow them, add them and/or send them a message (make sure it doesn’t sounds stupid)…trust me, they won’t bite.

3. Make mistakes and most importantly, learn from them. You need to understand that risk is the part of the game when you take that chair. Go ahead, try crazy ideas, research things and see what works the best instead of sitting ideally and wondering about it.

4. Share what you know, and that includes your expertise in your niche or market. Go ahead and help people in some real manner that leaves of mark of your efforts and you on them. Sharing will not only help you test your skill but add to your credibility.

5. NEVER BE A SHEEP. Leaders always stands out of the crowd with their own opinion about the issue. If you have a point, talk about it and stick to it if you feel it’s correct.

 

Finally, look, talk, speak, learn, share, lead and act like an entrepreneur before calling yourself one. Go ahead and do what other haven’t even though of, do what you love to do and are good at doing it, establish yourself…

What are your interpretation of “Entrepreneur”?