What Kind of Business Owner Are You?
Many business experts believe there is a difference between being a business owner or becoming an entrepreneur. They are very quick to point out that it is better to be an entrepreneur and they are very vocal about repeating many stereotypes and telling us that business owners are doomed to fail. Let’s start by exploring the differences between one and the other.Most people would define a business owner as a person that wants to go into business for themselves. However, they do not want to rock the boat. They follow existing business models, they stay the course and if they make a change, it takes a long time to implement. Business owners are very well suited for network marketing and franchises, where all the rules are spelled out for them and there is no guesswork needed. You follow the rules, you hope for the best.An entrepreneur is a rebel of sorts. They make the rules as they go, they are quick to change with the times, they are quick to implement and they are willing to fail more readily. Entrepreneurs also love to diversify and try different things.If you want your business to succeed you should be able to do a little of both. It is important to figure out what your role is in your company and what tasks you want others to do. This requires some level of organization. As your company grows, you must be able to delegate and create a vision for yourself and others. You also need to be flexible, capable of adjusting to the market and taking advantage of new trends.How do you know what kind of business person you are? The easiest way is to ask those around you, employees, friends and family. Do they see you as structured and organized? Do you seem more flexible? Ask them to tell you what your best traits are. You can learn a lot about yourself by what others think about you. I am not asking you to believe everything they say. What I want you to do is to look at commonalities between description. If one person says you are a control freak, it is just one opinion. However, if three or more of your close associates think you are a set in your ways, that is something you might need to consider.You can also use a journal to figure it out. Spend a week writing down everything you do while working. If you follow a routine, make sure to make note of it. When something unexpected happens, what do you do? Take notes on your behavior also. Did you feel uncomfortable, happy, sad. After the week is over, read your notes and look for patterns and behavior.Once you figure out what is your style, you should make sure that you have someone on staff to counteract you. If you too flexible, you might take unnecessary risks with your company. If you never take risks, that might also adversely affect your bottom line. A good mix of both styles will help your business prosper.
