Chapter 1 SHOULD YOU BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR?

WHAT DOES AN ENTREPRENEUR DO? OWN OPERATE TAKE ALL THE RISK

WHY DO PEOPLE BECOME ENTREPRENEURS? LEAVE CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT WORK FROM HOME PURSE A PERSONAL DREAM WORK FOR THEMSELVES

FAMOUS ENTREPRENEURS HENRY FORD BILL GATES JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER OPRAH WINFREY ELI WHITNEY ANDREW CARNEGIE WALT DISNEY MILTON HERSHEY

TYPES OF ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESSES MANUFACTURING BUSINESS WHOLESALING BUSINESS RETAILING BUSINESS AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS MINING AND EXTRACTING BUSINESS

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS 1. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ARE INDEPENTENT- They want to make their own decisions and do something they enjoy. 2. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ARE SELF- CONFIDENT- Entrepreneurs make all the decisions. They must have the confidence to make choices alone and bounce back when a decision they made was poor. 3. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS HAVE DETERMINATION AND PERSERVANCE- Entrepreneurs persist through hard times until goals are met.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS 4. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ARE GOAL- ORIENTED- They know what they want, and they are able to focus on achieving it. 5. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS HAVE A NEED TO ACHIEVE AND TO SET HIGH STANDARDS FOR THEMSELVES- They are constantly setting challenging new goals. 6. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ARE CREATIVE- They think of new ways to market their businesses and are always looking for new solutions to problems. 7. SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS ARE ABLE TO ACT QUICKLY- They are not afraid to make quick decisions when necessary, which helps them beat their competitors.

ASSESS YOUR SUITABILITY SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST

ASSESS YOUR APTITUDE APTITUDE- is the ability to learn a particular kind of job.

JOB ATTRIBUTES CHECKLIST 1. I ENJOY WORKING WITH NUMBERS. 2. I ENJOY WORKING OUTDOORS. 3. I ENJOY WORKING WITH MY HANDS. 4. I ENJOY SELLING. 5. I LIKE WORKING WITH PEOPLE. 6. I PREFER TO WORK ALONE. 7. I LIKE SUPERVISING OTHER PEOPLE. 8. I LIKE KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IT IS I AM SUPPOSED TO DO.

ASSESS YOUR INTERESTS HOBBIES AND INTERESTS & PAST EXPERIENCES

ADVANTAGES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 1. ENTREPRENEURS ARE THEIR OWN BOSSES- Nobody tells an entrepreneur what to do. Entrepreneurs control their own destinies. 2. ENTREPRENEURS CAN CHOOSE A BUSINESS THAT INTERESTS THEM- Entrepreneurs work in fields that interest them. Many combine hobbies and interests with business.

ADVANTAGES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 3. ENTREPRENEURS CAN BE CREATIVE- Entrepreneurs are always implementing creative ideas they come up with themselves. 4. ENTREPRENUERS CAN MAKE LOTS OF MONEY- Entrepreneurship involves risk. This means that entrepreneurs can make a lot of money if their business succeeds.

DISADVANTAGES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS RISKY- All small businesses face the possibility of going out of business of losing money. 2. ENTREPRENEURS FACE UNCERTAIN AND IRREGULAR INCOMES- Entrepreneurs may make money one month and lose money the next.

DISADVANTAGES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP 3. ENTREPRENEURS WORK LONG HOURS- o Irregular hours o No paid days off o Even weekends and holidays 4. ENTREPRENEURS MUST MAKE ALL DECISIONS BY THEMSELVES- Unless they have partners, entrepreneurs must make all the decisions alone.

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 1. IS THERE A MARKET IN MY COMMUNITY FOR THIS KIND OF BUSINESS? WILL PEOPLE BUY MY PRODUCT OR SERVICE?

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 2. HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD IT TAKE TO START THIS BUSINESS? WILL I BE ABLE TO BORROW THAT MUCH MONEY?

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 3. HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK IS IT LIKELY TO TAKE TO RUN THIS BUSINESS? AM I WILLING TO COMMIT THAT MUCH TIME?

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 4. WHAT ARE THE PARTICULAR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BUSINESS? WHAT IS THE RATE OF BUSINESS FAILURE?

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 5. DOES MY BACKGROUND PREPARE ME TO RUN THIS KIND OF BUSINESS? DO MOST PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS KIND OF BUSINESS HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN I DO?

COMPARING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES 6. HOW MUCH MONEY COULD I MAKE RUNNING THIS BUSINESS?

FINANCIAL GOALS HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I EARN QUICKLY PAY OFF DEBTS SPECIFIC & REALISTIC ◦ OBTAINABLE ◦ 1 TO 5 YEARS (REPAID)

NON-FINANCIAL GOALS PERSONAL SATISFACTION SERVE A COMMUNITY NEED SOMETHING YOU LIKE OR ENJOY PERSOANL INDEPENDENCE