There is a trait among entrepreneurs that people both love and hate at the same time – their optimism.

Let’s face it, taking the leap from security into the unknown must be backed by a healthy dose of optimism. If that wasn’t the case, most people wouldn’t do it, would they? No one would start a business if they weren’t completely convinced deep down in their gut that they were sure to succeed.

However, if you want to build a strategic plan, access funding through angel investment or venture capital, and deal with those first few tough years, you need to temper your enthusiasm with a healthy dose of reality.

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Coming Back Down to Earth

There is a trait among entrepreneurs that people both love and hate at the same time – their optimism.

Let’s face it, taking the leap from security into the unknown must be backed by a healthy dose of optimism. If that wasn’t the case, most people wouldn’t do it, would they? No one would start a business if they weren’t completely convinced deep down in their gut that they were sure to succeed.

However, if you want to build a strategic plan, access funding through angel investment or venture capital, and deal with those first few tough years, you need to temper your enthusiasm with a healthy dose of reality.

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The best sales associates, regardless of industry or length of sales cycle, are always cognizant of one reality when they begin their sales journey: time at their job is finite unless they continually meet their sales targets.

It’s worth reading previous posts in this series before continuing:

• Sales is Not Magic: Identifying Sales Triggers
• Sales Magic is Bogus: Understanding the 80/20 Rule & Trigger Points
• Sales is Not Magic: Understanding the Discipline of a Sales Connoisseur

Leverage every sales presentation. It’s an opportunity to:

1)      Engage the customer

2)      Learn as much as possible

3)      Have fun

You are not just selling, but actually performing market research. The best way to do so is by engaging your customer while also having fun in the process. Lighten up, have fun and smile – because if you’re uptight your customer will be too and engaging them will be significantly more difficult.

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The entrepreneur community is more closely knit than you’d believe, and when someone picks up on a notable event or trend, the blogosphere literally lights up with posts.

As far as entrepreneur blogs go, the flavor of the month appears to be the debate about whether the seed funding phenomenon is a bubble waiting to burst, or whether it’s a viable means of funding pre-revenue/start-up businesses. This is my take on the landscape.
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If you’re planning to make entrepreneurship your future, then you probably think that you’re a fairly adaptable, fly by the seat of your pants kind of guy (or girl). That’s a good start, however, to achieve real success as an entrepreneur, you’re going to have to learn to change direction practically mid-sentence. Here are the reasons why, as well as a few tips on how to make it a little easier.

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As the global economy undergoes more changes (and it will continue to do so) even more people will choose to take the plunge into entrepreneurship. Changes to corporate mindsets, downsizing and other upheavals in the “safe” world of formal employment are forcing many to embrace entrepreneurship, and start their own small businesses. Add to those the people with the burning desire to “be their own boss” and you have plenty of new entrants into the wonderful, frightening, exciting and exhausting world of being a business owner.

Whatever your reasons for considering entrepreneurship instead of formal employment, there are a few traits you will need to cultivate in order to succeed.

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