Are You an Entrepreneur? The Answer Might Surprise You!

They don’t wait to be told what to do, or for conditions to be perfect, or to be handed the resources they need on a platter.  In the spirit of a famous slogan, they just go out and do it. End of story. Sounds simple, right? But it’s not an easy process by any means.

It’s this kind of spirit that sees success as inevitable after hundreds of failures, rejections and setbacks. It’s this kind of spirit that enables the entrepreneur to pick themselves up off the floor, dust themselves off, and start all over again, even where the outcome is uncertain. It’s this kind of spirit that can hold a dream in perfect suspension in the imagination, believing in it even in the face of all odds, until the day it’s there in solid reality. Read more at Addicted2Success.com.

Do You Have Any of the 5 Traits Shared by Successful Traders and Entrepreneurs?

As the founder and CEO of Bear Bull Traders and Peak Capital Trading, I’ve taught thousands of new traders how to trade the market and make the right decisions for their trading venture. These traders come from all walks of life and from countries all around the globe. I’m honored to bring such a diverse group of people together for the purpose of building better lives through trading.

During my time as a trading coach and mentor, I’ve seen it again and again – some just have a knack for trading, and some fail miserably … and fast. What makes the difference? Successful traders enter into the world of trading with a specific set of personality characteristics. As I’ve built my own businesses, I’ve discovered that these are the same characteristics that also drive successful entrepreneurs. Read more at Entrepreneur.com.

3 Reasons to Quit Your Corporate Job and Become a Restaurant Franchisee

Covid-19 has been a stress-test for every facet of restaurant operations. Nearly four in 10 U.S. restaurants are currently closed, and many will close permanently as a result of the pandemic.

However, the industry’s setbacks over the past year should serve not as a warning, but as a guiding light. The restaurant franchises that have weathered the storm — those with the strongest customer bases, the best food and the most effective technology — are here to stay.

Although it is disheartening to watch restaurants shut their doors permanently, I am encouraged by the industry’s resilience and innovation over the past year. Market demand is another source of optimism. The reality of the current situation is, we have the same amount of people evaluating food options every day as we did before the pandemic hit. It is no surprise that we are seeing fast casual and QSR brands reporting an increase in sales at a time when the industry overall is struggling. Read more at Entrepreneur.com.

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How Successful Entrepreneurs Handle Rejection

Did you know Steve Jobs was fired from Apple before he returned to turn it into the icon it is today? Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was turned down 12 times before getting published. Don’t even get us started on Elon Musk, who was fired from PayPal before going on to co-found Tesla, SpaceX, and more. 

No one likes rejection, but rejection happens even to the best of entrepreneurs. That’s why it makes sense to learn how to handle rejection well and turn it into a learning opportunity for your business.

If no one told you you’re going to hear “no” as an entrepreneur, here’s what you need to know: You’d better get used to it. Whether it’s telling your spouse about how you want to quit your day job and start a business, or you’re going after small business funding, the one thing most entrepreneurs have in common is rejection. Selling anything (whether it’s the idea of entrepreneurship to a skeptical spouse or the idea of a loan to your banker) is hard.

It’s not the rejection that matters. It is how you handle it afterward that will make or break your business. As sure as you set out to achieve a goal, you are going to experience roadblocks. Big or small, each “no” could take a chunk out of your armor, if you let it. Read more at Benetrends.com.

11 Tips for Entrepreneurs Looking to Write Their First Book

Putting together a book takes time, energy and a lot of effort. And while it accounts for a lot of the book’s labor, writing isn’t the only thing an entrepreneur needs to concern themselves with. Publishing the book and the marketing associated with it also have a place in the overall success equation. But not all new writers know what to expect from the writing process. To help, 11 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) answer the following question:

“What advice would you give to an entrepreneur looking to write or publish their first book? Why?”

Read more at SmallBizTrends.com for tips to ensure your first book-writing experience is a successful one.

Patience Is Still An Entrepreneurial Virtue

The phrase “patience is a virtue” has been known through the ages and across the world. More than ever, it feels like the entrepreneurial community has abandoned this virtue for the lusty pursuit of expediency. It feels like patience is regarded as just a relic of a long passed slow-paced business cycle. The belief that those who hesitate are lost, and one must strike while the iron is hot (insert additional metaphors) to be successful causes many entrepreneurs to throw themselves irrationally towards ill-timed opportunities. There is still a virtue in delayed gratification; believe me, doing it right is more important than doing it right now.

I spend most of my time these days helping companies and CEOs craft their story for the market. I see hundreds of company presentations and business outlines, with most of them looking to raise money to launch or expand their business venture. Far too often, I see these entrepreneurs effectively “rushing” into the market. They often find themselves battling questions, objections, and rejections they could have avoided with a little more time, experience, and patience. There is too much emphasis on being ‘first to market’ and not nearly enough on being “best to market.” Read more at Forbes.com.

“You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.” – Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker

The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Work/Life Balance

If you search Google for “entrepreneur personal relationships” you’ll come across some interesting articles:

• Great Entrepreneur, Lousy Lover
• Entrepreneurs Suck at Relationships
• The Only Thing Harder Than BEING An Entrepreneur is LIVING With One

Clearly, work life balance harmony is not considered one of the defining characteristics of the life of an entrepreneur, but perhaps it should be.

No doubt, 24/7 work requirements and a passion (that may sometimes border on obsession) can be difficult to balance against the focus and presence required to maintain a healthy relationship. Read more at KEAP.com.