We tend to think of entrepreneurs as mavericks and innovators. Of course, they can be. In many cases, success depends on the ability to promote yourself and your ideas over anything else, because no one will give you the benefit of the doubt, You have to prove yourself to put plans into reality and have a team follow you.
That said, it’s wise to be careful and pay your dues. If you’re to break all the rules and begin anew, you have to know what the rules are to begin with. For example, think of an innovative guitar player like Jimmy Hendrix, who made this instrument his own and is widely considered to be one of the most innovative players ever. Hendrix didn’t start by breaking the rules, he had to learn how to play guitar conventionally, abide by the rules, learn to read sheet music, and then develop his own unique style over time.
As such, saying you’re an entrepreneur is just that, a statement. It’s not a tangible reality of any kind. In order to make your position in this field concrete and worthy of respect, it’s essential to learn the rules of entrepreneurship. Only then can you break them and innovate with confidence.
So, in this post, we intend to give a primer on how entrepreneurs can properly structure their foray into the wider corporate climate. Let’s get started below:
The Value Of Personal Branding
It’s important to recognize that your personal brand really does matter. As an entrepreneur, you are your biggest asset, and just like a great business idea or the trust a client might place in a new enterprise - you need others to believe in you.
For this reason, learning how to market yourself is effective. Using social media profiles, LinkedIn, a website, and a clear measure of explaining who you are and what your goals may be is important. But this is hardly the end of the story.
You’ll also find that how you put yourself together counts, also. Any healthy investments you can make in yourself will benefit you, from wearing a smart professional wardrobe to working on your posture and your ability to speak to public audiences; your skills are tangible entrepreneurial assets and must be used as such.
Networking Prowess
You don’t have to be the coolest social butterfly to make it as an entrepreneur, but you do need to know how to make and sustain connections. That might involve heading to business conventions, reaching out to those in your industry, keeping contact with old business connections, and keeping your word when you make promises.
That latter piece of advice is essential because your reputation can sometimes do the work for you in terms of networking. You don’t have to hang out in all the coolest bars visited by the top players of your industry, but you do need to be affable, responsive, respectful, and courageous. When people remember you for those necessities, you never know what benefits it may bring.
A good example is that of Gordon Ramsay, who after one of his friends was sacked by the same corporate entity that managed the restaurant he was head chef for, he left to create his own restaurant brand. Most of the staff left with him. That shows the power of close networking and how people can support you if you inspire belief.
Tangible Legal & Regulatory Understanding
You don’t have to be a solicitor or lawyer to win as an entrepreneur, in fact, most entrepreneurs aren’t trained in this specialism. However, it’s very helpful to have a distinct understanding of the laws and regulations that bind the sector you hope to work in. You can always use legal assistance, advisory books, and general educational courses to become much more aware of your responsibilities and parameters imposed on you in specific areas.
This not only helps you avoid making mistakes, but it gives you a sense of authenticity and competence which is absolutely required from the very first day of defining the value you hope to offer. So - don’t be afraid to study and study hard, even if you do that as you grow into your entrepreneurship role. Ideally, you’ll already be operating in a field you have some experience with, such as a past career in a field you hope to launch your business in.
Solve A Problem
The status of “entrepreneur” is meaningless for the most part, in that, someone can claim this title and never really do anything with it over time. It’s the same way as saying you’re a “novelist” because you might have plans to write a novel one day - this status doesn’t really apply until you sit down and begin outlining your story.
As such, try not to let the vague notion of what an entrepreneur is define how you proceed. Instead, seek to solve a problem that you feel is important to rectify. Perhaps you’ve noticed that in the age of smartphone apps and near-limitless connectivity, an industry hasn’t adopted new and convenient standards, and you wish to be the first to do so. That worked out quite well for Uber.
Maybe you’re not happy with the sustainability drives of a given industry, or you’ve noticed a spot in the market for a service that just isn’t being offered. Solve a problem. Work to position yourself as the solution. This way, you will have been practicing entrepreneurship without having to write impressive posts on LinkedIn proving what you are, your work will speak for itself, and your purpose will shine.
Take It A Day At A Time
Entrepreneurs aren’t born overnight You may wish to set the stage for your entrepreneurship, be that planning your business idea after you complete your day job, or even deeply researching an industry to see how it ticks over.
Not all entrepreneurs have endless reserves of investment or family money to try their idea and keep at it. As such, do what you can lay each brick in the wall as well as you can, and see the results grow.
Celebrate the small successes, sometimes, just having enough to quit your day job is a huge milestone that should be celebrated.
With this advice, you’re sure to learn the rules of entrepreneurship in the healthiest way.
