You DO have what it takes to be an Entrepreneur By Randi Knight

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Have you ever thought about writing down all the things you do and get done in a day?! As a single parent, I tried making a list and I overwhelmed myself. Nothing but the grace of God could enable to do all that I do. Now, I am not tooting my own horn, it’s just that as I embark on this entrepreneur journey, I have been doing some soul searching and quizzing of myself to make sure I can handle the marathon. I have taken the “see if you have what it takes to be an Entrepreneur” test, I have networked with some small business owners, read books and prayed. As I reflect on where I have come from and consider the next chapter in my life, I’m excited to find that I really do have what it takes to bring my idea to fruition!
Do you have an idea, product or service that you have had in the back of your mind but haven’t given much thought to pursuing because for whatever the reason you just haven’t, maybe you should. As I usually focus on opportunities and life balance for single parents, that idea, product or service that helps the masses could be your life saver! In my self-evaluation, I asked myself what kind of skills do I have that would help me be a good entrepreneur. Am I cut out for the entrepreneur life? I checked me out and maybe you can check yourself out too. That list that I asked you about in the beginning probably translates into lots of skills that you had not even thought about. This also works if you are looking for a new opportunity or position. Now these are my evaluations but I am sure that if you look closer at your own life, you will find similar or other skill sets:
  1. Managing my household – Yes! From the (grocery, clothes, car, etc.,) shopping to laundry, finances, carpooling, cooking, pets, school, homework, activities, I do it all and it’s ok. One or two balls may drop here or there but I pick them up and start juggling again.
  2. Be Adapatable – being able to change course quickly is a skill I quickly had to incorporate into my life! I was one who cringed at the thought of change. But after you have a child and you experience life in general, I learned that change is a constant. As an entrepreneur, change is inevitable. Being able to change course quickly and go with fluctuating circumstances, or go with the flow, find an alternative way, etc., is a standard business practice.
  3. Add in Creativity, Time-Management, Managing an Operating Budget, Multi-tasking and Problem-Solving to the Entrepreneurial mix and I think we have the makings of a mogul!
  4. As I read and research, I have begun to quiet my doubts and fears about having to know everything. I realize that I don’t have to know everything to start a small business. There are so many resources I get excited just thinking about all the help and assistance I can receive. There are think tanks, networking organizations like The Boss Network (http://www.thebossnetwork.org) to help you network with other like-minded entrepreneurs. In addition, other resources include The SCORE – “Counselors to America’s Small Businesses” – Small Business Association and Sunshine Enterprises where you can find a small business mentor, take classes on owning a small business, work on your business plan and learn the 10 steps to starting a small business among other things. Another valuable resource I have found for classes and more is the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) in downtown Chicago. Check Google for the local business centers in your area.
  5. Finally, while I pray and listen to the voice within about what to do next on this entrepreneur journey, one skill that I constantly work on daily is building my Faith and knowing that as I work the plan, all will work out if I trust the One who made the plan and trust His process and timing.
     
     
    Connect with Randi Knight on Twitter@randiknight915
     Learn more about products and services at Randi Knight Blog Website.

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