How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

To become a successful entrepreneur, there are only two simple things you must do. Once you’ve done these two things, the rest is easy.

What is an entrepreneur?

It’s actually very simple to become a successful entrepreneur — you just provide a transformation in someone’s life in exchange for money. It could be a big transformation like finding a relationship or buying a house. Or it could be something small like a new type of coffee cup that won’t tip over in your car.

Two simple things you must do to become a successful entrepreneur:

1 – Create value that people will pay for

The whole idea of providing value to others is basic human instinct. We’re driven to provide it; it’s how we’re wired. People have been providing value to each other since we were cavemen.For example, if you were a good hunter and I was a good fire-maker, together we can make a better meal than we could by ourselves. You catch it. I cook it. This is nothing new to humans. Providing value to other people is totally engrained within us — no problem there.

2 – Deliver that value in exchange for money

The basic concept has not changed since cavemen traded hunting and fire-making services, but the details of how it works have changed. The cavemen didn’t use currency, they just traded. The cavemen didn’t have to comply with accounting rules or even do accounting. The cavemen didn’t need websites or social media. Today a more complex structure is required for exchanging value for value. But it’s not hard to create.

Become a successful entrepreneur today

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, only 13% of Americans have started or are starting a business. The rest are not starting a business for two main reasons.

1. They underestimate the value they can provide to other people.
2. They believe that starting a business is too hard and too risky.

When you hold onto these thoughts, you can’t become a successful entrepreneur. They block you from success. Here’s how to flip it around.

Understand your value

Every human being has value to provide. It comes down to one question you must answer: When your friends, family, coworkers or anyone else calls you up and asks for your help, advice or opinion on something, what do they ask you about? Everyone has something they are asked about. That’s the beginning of your business. It’s the area where people already gravitate toward you in search of help. Ask those people what their problems are and how they would like those problems solved. Then expand the conversation beyond your friends and family. Start talking to more people like them. They’re handing you great business ideas on a silver platter!

Create the business (the structure)

It does take a lot of work to become a successful entrepreneur, but it’s not as hard or as risky as most people believe it is. The great thing about  successful entrepreneurs is that many of them write books. They’ve written great books about how to overcome obstacles and the basic steps to starting a business. The information is there and very well documented. You just have to seek it out. Here’s a simple piece of advice that will help you become a successful entrepreneur:

Want it more

• Want it more than you want to watch TV.
• Want it more than you want complete economic certainty.
• Want it more than you want to take a nap.
• Want it more than ice cream. Yes, even more than ice cream.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash