Entrepreneurship is more than just a fancy occupation. It’s a way of life. And people have been arguing for ages whether you are born to live this way or it is something that can be taught and learned.
If we only start speculating on the side of the argument that says business skills can’t be learned, then we may inevitably face the problem: how to become a successful entrepreneur?
What seems to be a common belief now is that the entrepreneur’s magic is a result of a combination of academic basics and hands-on experience. And it could be challenging for those who just start out to find that silver lining between theory and practice.
Building a strategy of self-development as an entrepreneur is a personal challenge that needs to correspond with the student’s life and background. However, below you may see some universal tips that you may fit in your own educational plan.
Use Social Networks and Other Websites to Learn the Entrepreneur’s Magic
Sure, there are universities that try to raise business professionals. But there are some precious lessons that one may easily find outside academic walls. Where are those? As everything else, on the Internet.
Follow a Blog
Blogs are a perfect place where you may find experience-based advice and insights that entrepreneur-bloggers share with their audience.
Those could be straightforward sets of tips or honest stories based on the writer’s own experience. Blogs are not only about personal life – they could be enriched with philosophical discourse, scientific data and analysis of the ongoing events in the world.
There are some brilliant ones known in the business audience: blogs of Andrew Chen, Steve Blank, and Paul Graham. Search for ones that appeal to your interest and that you believe may truly bring in some valuable information to your personal development plan.
Twitter could be considered to be a source of knowledge and as a place for social networking. Both sides could be fruitful for the starting out entrepreneur.
Knowledge: get the latest information from different people that interest you and possibly from the entrepreneurs you consider to be successful.
Social Networking: Respond to posts and begin chatting with people. You can use it to get an overview of people’s general opinions, to get into business-related discussions, and find some valuable insights.
Consider Looking into Quora
The idea of Quora is straightforward. Questions are asked by many people and then answered by others, sometimes by true experts in the industry. You will find many things about starting a business as well as millions of other topics.
Solutions to Consider: On The Edge of Theory, With a Touch of Practice
Blogs, news, social networks – all those are nice and valuable, but let’s look at some other steps you may take as a starting out entrepreneur.
Pick a Decent College or Course
There are certain institutes that support their business students more than others. There are various research projects and social initiatives that are started by those that attend these particular institutes.
via Unsplash by Andre Hunter
It is important that your curriculum focuses on developing skills that an entrepreneur needs. Many universities understand the true value of experience, so it’s worth checking if the college you choose brings in experts to teach how business actually works in the real world outside coursebooks.
An Entrepreneur’s Attributes
In order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to have a lot more than a great idea or perfect education. Entrepreneurs can work wonders if they have certain qualities like leadership and communication skills, persistence, and the ability to be flexible and fast-learning.
There are disputes over what qualities are required for business success. For example, BBC suggests that those are: creativity, risk-taking, determination, and confidence.
Of course, there is no fixed list of skills and personal qualities you should improve or develop, but looking through opinions on this topic could give you some idea of what skills you need to hone in on.
Enroll In Online Courses
Just as with colleges and offline courses, you should thoroughly observe the topics online courses cover. Many online courses are taught by industry professionals who share their own experiences with their students.
However, be sure to do your research on the person facilitating the course before you sign up. The Internet has enabled everyone to sell info-products: from frauds to world-leading professionals.
You should consider courses led by those who actually practice what they teach. For example, if you want to learn eCommerce – consider the Shopify Compass courses led by top-selling eCommerce business owners, or if you want to focus on fashion – look for courses guided by fashion stylists or managers.
via Unsplash by Austin Distel
With proper research, you can find courses that have found that silver line between theory and practice.
Develop Your Expertise
College seminars, online and offline courses can provide you with the theory and skills you may need to succeed in business. You may also use the networks you find in those educational places to start working and raising your own expertise.
As long as you keep in mind your destination (which is, probably, business success) – all the business-related experience could be priceless.
Wrapping Up – Learn, Practice, Repeat
There is no straightforward answer to whether you can learn to be an entrepreneur. What could be a working approach: be hungry for any theory, insights, and tips while trying yourself out in the real world.
Probably, people will continue to argue whether you are born or taught to be a business starter. While they argue, you can start building your expertise and writing your own story of success.
