Characteristics of a Small Business Entrepreneur

A Home Business Article Contributed by Elizabeth Fox-Wise

You Want to Open a Small Business, but do You Have What it Takes to be a Entrepreneur?

Not everyone is cut out to be a small business entrepreneur. If you think that you want to own your own small business, but are not sure that you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, there are some character traits that entrepreneurs have in common that you should know.

Until recently, entrepreneurs were not widely studied. There was a mysticism surround them and what made them tick. They were often explained as "walking to the beat of a different drum. However, during the past decade the interest in revitalizing America's stagnant productivity has made us take a closer look at entrepreneurism in America. Many business, state and community colleges now offer courses in entrepreneurship. As a result, more time has been spent studying entrepreneurs and several characteristics have been identified as showing up repeatedly among entrepreneurs.

Many Small Business Entrepreneurs Have Several Things in Common in How They View Themselves

Small Business Entrepreneurs have a high level of self control. Many do not function well in a structured environment and do not like others having authority over them. Many entrepreneurs believe that they can do a job better and faster than anyone else. They believe that they are smarter than their peers and supervisors and have a compelling drive to do things their own way. For these reasons, entrepreneurs are not always considered the best employees and are often unhappy when working as an employee.

Small Business Entrepreneurs are often very self confident. They believe they are in control of everything. They tackle problems quickly and with confidence and are often the people who work best under pressure.

Small Business Entrepreneurs tend to live life with a sense of urgency. Inactivity (like waiting for others) makes then tense, impatient and frustrated. They can be seen by others as impatient people and people with high expectations. This sense of urgency keeps them constantly getting things done.

Small Business Entrepreneurs Have Common Factors in the Way They Think

Small Business Entrepreneurs tend to be realists. They accept things as they are and set out to deal with them efficiently. They are flexible enough to change their direction when the situation warrants. They tend to speak their mind directly and therefore assume that all people do. For their reason, they can sometimes be too trusting in small business relationships.

Many Small Business Entrepreneurs have a highly developed conceptual ability. That is, they have the ability to identify relationships quickly and accurately in the midst of complex or confusing situations. Therefore, the small business entrepreneur can identify problems and start working on solutions much faster than most people.

Small Business Entrepreneurs do not always have the best interpersonal relationship skills. They tend to be more concerned with other's (and their own) accomplishments more than they are feelings. This lack of sensitivity to others feelings can sometimes interfere in business dealings. Small business entrepreneurs tend to have very high expectations of themselves and sometimes almost equally as high expectations of others.