All of the speakers have said that becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t something they planned. That the hours are long and the sleep nearly non-existent. That it’s a challenge to balance life, work, and family. And that they’ve learned and grown exponentially by starting and running their businesses.
Many of these entrepreneurs share similar qualities. They’re energetic and driven, curious and innovative. And they don’t get road blocked or blindsided by problems. They take charge, multi-task, and become so engrossed in their business that individual meals cease to exist and instead, morph into a brunch/linner combo, reflective of the marathon-style day common to entrepreneurs.
Many mention either not attending college, or switching back and forth between majors several times. Some of them started working in one industry or job, only to realize it didn’t coordinate with their actual life goals.
Judith Morgan, a business coach for entrepreneurs, mentions additional common entrepreneurial personality traits, among them creativity, problem-solving, intuition, and ambition.
In chapter one of The Venture Café, Teresa Esser talks about “The Entrepreneurial Mind”. A memorable quote (though not one I agree with) is that “The ideal entrepreneur is not the kind of person that you'd want as a personal friend."
The anecdotes and stories I hear and read about from entrepreneurs sound very familiar to me. Their experiences are my experiences are your experiences. Does this ring true for you also?
