11 Traits of Successful Business Owners and Start-Up Entrepreneurs

An age old recipe for success goes a little like this: if you want to be a successful person, do what successful people do. So what exactly do successful people do? Here’s a list of traits that all successful business owners and entrepreneurs share: Tenacity One of these traits is found in the fact that these individuals are, perhaps above all else, tenacious. They simply do not give up when they face setbacks or difficulties. They carry on and move forward even in the most challenging of circumstances. Understands Behavior Entrepreneurs thrive off of human interaction. They analyze the behavior of their clients, customers, co-workers, and employees and are able to make precise decisions based on these observations. Not sold? Here’s a short list of successful CEO’s with degrees related to the study of human behavior:

• Christopher Connor, CEO of Sherwin Williams, Sociology at Ohio State University
• Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Company, Psychology at Boston College
• Stephan Schwarzman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone Group, Interdisciplinary Studies at Yale University (includes psychology, sociology, anthropology, and biology)
• Anne Sweeney, President of Disney-ABC Television Group, Education Bachelor’s and Master’s from New Rochelle and Harvard respectively

Maybe becoming a board certified behavior analyst is a skill you want to acquire on your road to success. Creative Another of the traits shared by successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs is creativity. These are precisely the individuals who come up with the latest innovations and unique ways to bring these innovations to market. Open Minded Business owners and start-up entrepreneurs are also open minded by their very natures. They are not closed off and they welcome input and ideas from other people. (They also have the associated capacity of discerning good and bad input from others.) Organized Successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs are also organized. Sometimes they have to force themselves to be organized. However, in the end, they recognize that organization renders them more productive and efficient. Delegates Those business owners and start-up entrepreneurs who are truly successful are those women and men who understand how to effectively delegate. They neither "do all the work" themselves nor are they scatter-shot in the manner in which the delegate tasks to others. Experienced CEO’s wish they were better at this task. For example: Liz McKinley (CEO, Pinnacle Petroleum) says one thing she regrets most is that she made her business so hard on herself by neglecting to delegate responsibilities (ceo.com). Shares Credit Another of the key traits shared by successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs is the ability to generously share credit for successes with others. While they want to succeed at their enterprises, they appreciate the value of including others in this success. (Conversely, they are reluctant to cast blame on others for shortcomings or even full blown failures. They tend to take responsibility for all shortcomings or failures themselves.) Teachable Successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs are precisely the same women and women who are willing and capable of learning from others and through experiences (positive and negative). Milton Hershey didn’t have success with his sweets until he traveled to Denver and learned a new trick for creating caramels. With this education, he went on to found the world famous Hershey Co. Hard Working Despite the plethora of books on the market that essential promote a thesis of business and start-up success without breaking a sweat, the true reality is that successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs work hard -- and enjoy doing so. Persuasive Yet another of the key traits shared by business owners and start-up entrepreneurs who enjoy success is the ability to persuade others. Successful business and start-up owners to not prevail on their own. They need to encourage other people "to their cause." This includes everyone from investors to clients or customers. Establish Boundaries Finally, a trait shared by successful business owners and start-up entrepreneurs is the ability to set boundaries. They do not let people "walk over them" nor are they readily diverted from their responsibilities. Which of these traits are your strengths? Which are your weaknesses?