Do you have the traits to be a successful entrepreneur?

We don’t hide the fact that we are passionate about women in business at Melanmag.com. We believe that the ‘fairer’ sex has the innate ability and strength of character to be entrepreneurs.

Now I know that I am generalising a whole lot here, but our ability to multi-task and decision-making skills all lend themselves to starting and running our own businesses, if we choose to.

Running a business is not for everyone though and many of us are quite happy to be employed, but if you ever wondered whether you could make it as your own boss, it helps to have the following four personality traits according to a new study by Vistaprint UK of 800 small business owners.

42131685 - female bakery stall holder at farmers fresh food market Do you have the traits to be a successful entrepreneur? — Image credit: www.123rf.com.

You’re passionate
Passion is the cornerstone of the small business owner. It’s what gets florists to the flower market for 3am and drives toy-makers to experiment with new ideas. And when the initial designs don’t quite work out, passion is what drives them to stick at it until those ideas are perfected. According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) – the UK’s biggest business organisation – one of the main reasons for people starting their own business is a desire to turn their passion into a career.

You’re a strong character
To come up with an idea, persevere with it through lean times, and turn it into a business with customers and employees, takes a lot of heart and determination. Creating something from nothing doesn’t just happen, it needs perseverance – and that only comes if you’re the type of person who isn’t going to be deterred by early setbacks, or put off by the prospect of working hard initially for little return, so that you can reap bigger and more satisfying rewards further down the line.

You’re confident
It takes confidence to set your own boundaries – and that’s what small business owners do daily. They have the confidence to know what’s needed to keep their businesses on the right track. Rather than relying on a rigid nine-to-five set-up, small business owners have the confidence to define their own structure.

You’re a natural leader
Often, small businesses are made up of very small teams. If the business owner wants to get the most out of his or her staff, they need to be a motivator, a people-manager, and a goal-setter all rolled into one – and this is where your natural persuasion and trailblazing attitude comes into its own.

Oliver Harcourt, Head of Vistaprint UK, which commissioned the research, said: “We speak to small business owners every day and overwhelmingly these passionate individuals have positive stories to share.

“The survey highlights some of the benefits that can be achieved when starting your own business, whether it’s more time for your family, the ability to evoke change in your community or a renewed love for your job.

“We want to encourage people to be bold and live their dream.”