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How to be a SMART Entrepreneur

 · 4 min · Nasir

Here are five elements of entrepreneurship that can determine your survival in the industry.

finance tools psychology

Most of the time, a person is not born into entrepreneurship. Few people choose to take on the challenge due to its intrinsic risk factors. Taking on a job as an employee proves to be a more stable form of income generation. Therefore, entrepreneurs choose this path for themselves and enhance the skills to be successful over time.

System

Like any living thing that grows, the treatment of a business model should be similar. It necessitates having a complete system that nourishes, sustains and develops. For instance, a business that supplies products generally needs:

  • suppliers of raw materials
  • a facility to manufacture
  • effective inventory arrangement
  • conducive sales channels
  • powerful marketing strategies
  • responsive customer service and
  • strong team management to hold it all together.

With a well-designed system, a business can run efficiently to produce the expected results. Other than that, management of risks is on a micro-level, at each component of a system. When this segregation of risk occurs, it minimizes the disruption of the entire business model.

A well-designed system is an efficient system
A well-designed system is an efficient system

Mentor

In reaching success, knowledge is of the essence. New technologies and innovative skills are consistently emerging in this age of the internet. To stay ahead, an entrepreneur needs to keep updated by inquiring from reputable mentors or learning sources.

An entrepreneur also knows to be humbled by ensuring learning as a lifelong routine. The acquisition of knowledge is also to maintain the full optimization of the venture. Several key knowledge-base that require constant refreshment is in regards to:

  • product development
  • accounting
  • management
  • marketing
  • motivation of staff
  • teamwork

Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in-your-charge. Leaders are not responsible for the results. They are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results.

Adaptability

Change is inevitable. Sometimes change can be in the form of new technologies, and it is embedded gradually into the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Some changes are abrupt; entrepreneurs require to adapt as soon as possible to ensure survival. Abrupt changes are usually inevitably caused, such as by high-cost accidents or catastrophes.

At the current macro level, the Covid-19 pandemic affects many entrepreneurs and consequently must learn how to conduct business in this environment. Some flourish as change offers untapped opportunities. The ability to adapt to changes will make entrepreneurs grow dynamically despite any landscape transformation.

Adapt to The Changing Landscape
To survive, one needs to adapt to the changing landscape

Relentless

Get out of the comfort zone. Take risks. Move. Entrepreneurs require to be relentless in their pursuit. Some of its aspects are as follows:

AspectDescription
SpeedActions are key to any growth or expansion of a business. Do not procrastinate. We only have one brief life to live. So act now or risk regret.
DisciplineSuccess is not handed to us on a silver platter. Every minute we wasted on things that are not productive, somebody else will do it better, and we will be left behind. Entrepreneurs would need to sacrifice that part of them to achieve this discipline.
FocusThere are many distractions in conducting business that may be in the form of operational errors, insufficient product offering, unhappy clients or even other enticing business opportunities. However, to reach the ultimate goal, these distractions first need to be set aside.

Tools

During this day and age, entrepreneurs evolve based on the tools of the trade. Examples of this are:

  • written purchase orders or invoices replaced by Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
  • modern channels of advertising such as social media websites or influencer advertising
  • cloud accounting software

Even though there are still the conventional way of doing things, entrepreneurs should switch to modern tools to stay relevant in the current market.

Conclusion

The majority of entrepreneurs are not born into that lifestyle. They are made: with continuous efforts and nerves of steel. There are five recognizable elements that an entrepreneur require:

  • System
  • Mentor
  • Adaptability
  • Relentless
  • Tools

I hope you will have a wondrous journey ahead! Be a SMART entrepreneur and share this article if you find it helpful.

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