Graduate to an Entrepreneurial Career
Think Like You Own The Place
“The future will be owned and operated by the entrepreneurial-minded.”
Mark Victor Hansen, Author, Chicken Soup for The Soul
They call this the Age of the Entrepreneur. We are living in a time when more and more people want to own their own business. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are responsible for seventy-seven percent of all the new jobs created in the past twenty years.
Studies have shown that right after college is an excellent time to begin an entrepreneurial career path. Some start while still in school. We will feature some of them here.
A business of your own is truly the Great American Dream. It is more attainable today than ever before! With online businesses and home-based businesses becoming more and more commonplace, there is no reason why a person who desires to have their own business can’t have it.
PROFILE OF THE ENTREPRENEUR
Sometimes it is hard to pin down a “typical” entrepreneur. They do, however, share many common characteristics. As you review the list, see how many of them you have. This will
be a good indication if you are cut out to join the club of free market, enterprising, make-it-happen men and women.
ENTREPRENEURS:
· Are proactive
· Take calculated risks
· Are creative
· Are ambitious
· Are goal oriented
· Are persistent
· Are independent thinkers
· Are curious
· Are optimistic
· Are overcomers
· Go the extra mile
· Are self-confident
· Are dreamers
· Are innovative
· Are change agents
· Are people of integrity
· Are reliable
· Are competitive
· Are problem solvers
· Are flexible
· Are passionate
· Have a high energy level
How many of these do you have? This does not mean that you need ALL of these traits. No one has all of them, but the more of them you do have, the more you “fit” the entrepreneurial model. Remember, to be success- ful in your own business, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. If you can learn from those who have done it, and you’ll be way ahead.
Learn from their victories and from their mistakes. There is no better way to prepare yourself for running a business, generate new ideas, and derive new insight than by examining the ideas, methods, proceesses, strategies, and recommendations of successful entrepreneurs.
Let’s take a look at some of the most enterprising men and women of our times.
As you read their profiles, see how many of the above traits you can identify.
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin met while students at Stanford. What began as a research project in January 1996 has grown into an online force to be reckoned with. From a dominant search engine to online books, documents, Google Earth, Froogle, and more, their entrepreneurial culture has spawned enormous succuss. Though these two young men have accomplished so much in a short time, there seems to be so much more coming from this crea-tive, innovative twenty-first century approach to doing business. Just a couple of loose, fun-loving entrepreneurs changing the world.
Thanks to Larry and Sergey, when we want to know about something or someone, we just “google it!”
Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook as a 19-year old undergrad at Harvard. He, along with roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes devised the roots of this most popular social network. Started as a networking site for college students, it has become a habit for over 20 million registered users. Today, the estimated value of Facebook is now over $3 Billion.
Frank and Dan Carney started a pizza parlor across from their family’s grocery store. Their goal was to pay for their college education. Nineteen years later, Frank sold the 3,100 outlet chain called Pizza Hut for $300 million dollars
The Great American Dream is alive and well. Only you can decide if and when that passion is strong enough to make it come true for you. So, go on out and pursue your passion…follow your bliss. Who knows, someday we may be reading your success story right there along with Sergey, Larry, Mark and The Carney Brothers. Hey, if they can do it, you can, too!
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Dave Bedard is an author, entrepreneur and guest speaker. His new book Graduate and Grow Rich is now available. Starting in broadcasting, then in his own companies, he has conducted leadership training in over 25 countries. Settings have ranged in size from intimate academic classrooms to business audiences of over 15,000 people.
He is an active contributor on college campuses, serving on numerous Boards as a Director, Advisor and Guest Lecturer. He is also a proud member of the Junior Achievement board in Massachusetts. He is also the producer and co-host of "The Success Journey," a television show featuring interviews with successful people from all walks of life.
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