Today’s world is not one that encourages anyone to sit idly by. Even with the prevalence of white-collar jobs, it pays to acquire entrepreneurial skills, which can be used as a means of generating additional income. Records of today’s most successful men and women reveal that they are not people who sit in one place from dawn to dusk, for a few monthly salaries, but those who have accepted the challenge of starting worthwhile ventures, without fear of risks or lack. finance These are the real entrepreneurs.
The challenge of today’s global economy requires nothing more than entrepreneurship. It is a well known fact that one of the major problems facing many countries in the world today is unemployment. It is no longer news that unemployment figures are rising at an alarming rate. There have been several austerity measures that shake the major countries of the world. The story is no different in my own part of the world: Nigeria.
We all know the terrible effects of unemployment: the crimes it generates and the monumental waste of invaluable labor it generates. There have been several concerted efforts by different levels of government in job creation and poverty alleviation programs. But the truth of the matter is that there is no way that these efforts can completely eliminate this horrible threat called unemployment.
Economists have identified a possible way out of this problem. This is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is seen as a sure way to grow the economies of nations, especially third world nations. This is why, for example, it is recommended that it be introduced as a general course in all tertiary institutions in my own part of the world.
This is a challenge for our youth today. As you nurture the ambition to pursue a particular career and profession in college, it will be wise for you to start planning to become an entrepreneur. Such a mindset will help you be very proactive in being a job creator instead of a job seeker. This will save you the trauma and frustration of wandering around wasting valuable time and resources looking for a non-existent job in the job market.
Entrepreneurship involves starting and running a business. This starts with deciding on a business idea to start. A business idea can be developed by identifying a need and trying to satisfy it; this defines who an entrepreneur is, someone who identifies a need in a locality and looks for ways to satisfy it, and in doing so builds a business. around. To do this, you must be creative/innovative, that is, present a new business idea; or being adaptable, that is, taking advantage of an existing business idea.
While coming up with a business idea can be a difficult task for most people, I would like to use this medium to suggest a business opportunity for potential entrepreneurs: freelance photography. Yes, I mean you can start your entrepreneurial journey by taking up freelance photography. This is a cool business that is often neglected by most people. The beauty of freelance photography is that you can do it part-time or full-time, without any interference with your other businesses. Why not give it a thought.
However, the focus of this article is on business skills. If entrepreneurship is going to put an end to one of the world’s biggest problems, it would be wise for us to learn the skills that will allow us to succeed as entrepreneurs.
There are a number of skills and qualities, in addition to your academic or professional qualifications, that you need to be a successful entrepreneur. Some of these abilities are described below.
Assumption of risks: As an aspiring entrepreneur, you must be prepared to take risks, because running a business involves a lot of risk. You must know when to risk it and when not to.
Take actions: Having dreams and aspirations without taking the necessary steps to make them come true is building castles in the air. Vision without action is a mere illusion. A successful entrepreneur must know what actions are necessary to take to make his business successful and must be ready to take these actions. In other words, he must work to be successful.
Be persistent: Everything comes to the one who hastens while waiting. On your entrepreneurial journey, success may not be instant, you have to keep going. The hallmark of champions is the ability to overcome, regardless of the challenges.
Be optimistic: A positive mental outlook on life is an invaluable asset. Before starting any business, have the firm belief that it will succeed, and it will. As an aspiring entrepreneur, if you want to be successful, you must have a “can do” mentality and see opportunities where others see problems.
Be goal oriented: Set achievable goals. You can categorize your goals into long term and short term. And always keep your dreams alive by posting your goals where you can see them and remind yourself of them from time to time. The Holy Scriptures say and I quote: “Write the vision, make it very clear so that the one who reads it runs.” What the scriptures mean is that you should keep your dreams/visions alive by writing them down.
Be customer oriented: Always put your customers first. Your business can’t go anywhere without your customers. Always work for your satisfaction.
To be passionate: Develop a burning interest and passion for your business. You must love what you do, otherwise failure is inevitable.
Good time management: Schedule your day and stick to your schedule. New entrepreneurs need to realize that every minute is precious. Use “Free Time” to learn more skills related to your business and find ways to advertise and contact potential customers.
Good Financial Management: In business, a proper knowledge of finance is a must. Knowing how to calculate the cost of a service, keep track of expenses, balance an account, and keep track of numbered invoices are all needs for most small businesses to get started. Entrepreneurs must be aware of the acceptable means of raising funds and the profitable management of such funds.