The Entrepreneurial MBA

YFS Magazine (“Young, Fabulous & Self-Employed”) came up with 10 signs you’re an entrepreneur. I don[t agree with all of them but aspiring entrepreneurs should think about how this fits with their philosophy. Here are some of the more interesting ones:

1. Let’s just say, there is no shortage of self-confidence here. I would certainly say that entrepreneurs are typically self-confident. Do some of them take it overboard? Of course. But if you don’t believe in yourself, you probably shouldn’t expect others to believe in you. Entrepreneurs face rejection on a regular basis. In fact, a high No:Yes ratio may actually be a good thing – it means you are pushing the boundary. 

2. You like to run things. Not much of an explanation needed here. If you don’t like being in command, it’s hard to be a co-founder of a start-up. This is totally different from micromanaging or even being involved with all aspects of your business. It simply means you enjoy managing, leading and people. 

3. It can always be better – and you make sure it is. Possibly my favorite one. When I was working as an analyst at a large asset management firm, I took pride in building models that considered varied scenarios, variables and complexity. But building an excel model and delivering a product are totally different. One can approach perfection – with the limiting factor being the inputs. The other can always be better. And that is something that great entrepreneurs subscribe to: there is no perfection, only the pursuit of excellence in delighting the customer.