Week Thirteen

A Journey of Gratitude

What does it take to be an entrepreneur? A good idea? Business skills? Luck? Maybe a combination of all three? It seems to me it kind of depends on the idea. If you are good at making cakes and there aren't too many bakeries in your area you will probably do fine and you wouldn't need to graduate from Harvard Business School to open a cake shop. But there are some ideas out there that came because someone studied a particular field that not just the average Joe is going to think of because he doesn't have the knowledge in that field, say the tech, or oil, or medical industry.

I guess you good find a business partner, but really he would have to find you because you wouldn't know anything about it. So you would need to have your own set of skills to make yourself of use to him. I feel a few of my children have the entrepreneurial spirit, but only one went to college and the other three have ideas and skills but no college education. Are their skills enough? I always thought so until I started studying business management. Sure one of my sons has started a little furniture business and because of Etsy did okay. But I now believe if you have some business skills you could do a whole lot better.

There is an orthodontist in our city that our foreign exchange student went to boy did that man know business or at least marketing. His office was like no other medical or dental type of business I have ever seen. He had toys, books, cookies for those who were waiting, challenges, and computers to log in and play games while you wait. T-shirts and prizes for brushing and points for being on time that you could save and spend in his shop. Every one of his employees was fast and efficient and friendly.

There are many aspects of entrepreneurship, as I learn each week. There are even differing opinions of the best way to become an entrepreneur and there are probably better ways than others. Being grateful, educating yourself, having a good mentor and being passionate are few of these good skills.