There’s a fire in all of us to do things differently. It’s human nature to want to make your mark in the world, and even though we’re surrounded by the glamourized image of the aggressive yet visionary entrepreneurial go-getter, true entrepreneurial spirit is hidden in the day-to-day life that many of us take for granted. It’s something you demonstrate on a daily basis in how you approach your life, career and passion for building something great.
In my early years, I had never really thought about owning a business and yet I had a vision for how I would want to run a business. After working in the recruitment industry for over a decade, I decided that if I was going to work that hard and for that many hours, I might as well work for myself. While I had learned a lot, I also took note of the things I would do differently.
Entrepreneurial spirit is a mindset, and as a new or aspiring entrepreneur, you must learn how to cultivate it. Use small actions to take big steps and get excited by the fact that the initial steps you take can lead to something much bigger. Below are six tips to help you get started:
- Have a great idea
Make sure you have a great new idea, or an idea that sets you apart from your competitors before you start a business. Don’t be afraid to go against the majority to make a significant impact on your industry. - Put pen to paper
Put your thoughts and ideas in writing – you cannot achieve a goal that you cannot visualize on a daily basis. - Plan for success-prepare for challenges
To be entrepreneurial by nature is to be optimistic. When you are dreaming you have to believe in yourself and your abilities, but always have a backup plan in case things don’t go the way you had initially intended. - Find a mentor
Find someone who is successful and can talk you through the planning, implementation and challenges of running a business. Anything that can potentially happen to an entrepreneur has probably happened to someone else before. Your ability to use that resource will allow you to overcome challenges quicker. - Failure is a great teacher
Failure is a very important part of entrepreneurial success. The biggest wins come from what you learn when you fail and the only critical thing is not to repeat mistakes, but rather to learn from them and grow. - Have fun
Don’t forget to enjoy every new thing as it happens. Your first paying customer, your first employee, the first time you get free press. It’s hard work, so you must relish the good things when they happen. Each milestone reached will bring you one step closer to where you want to be.
As an entrepreneur, make sure you are constantly finding ways to think, act and create with an entrepreneurial spirit regardless of where you are or what you’re doing. Remember that in everything you do, there is the opportunity and potential to do it differently.
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About the Author:
Maureen Lucas – Founder and President, LucasWorks!
Maureen Lucas is the Founder and President of LucasWorks!, a successful recruitment firm in Southwestern Ontario with offices in Windsor, Kitchener and London. Maureen has helped student entrepreneurs in the past with mentorship and has provided the LucasWorks Scholarship for student entrepreneurs or students assisting startups at EPICentre. In every year since 2013 Maureen has been acknowledged as one of Profit Magazine’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs. http://www.lucasworks.ca/
