Mark Zuckerberg and traits of successful entrepreneurs

They are generalists, rather than specialists

A Business Insider UK report defines the four traits of successful entrepreneurs.

Firstly, they have a wide range of skills.  As founders, they manage all the different aspects of a business.

A Swiss German study in 2013 found that while employees are specialists, entrepreneurs are generalists.

They have self-confidence

Self-confidence is the second of the four traits of successful entrepreneurs. It takes unshakeable self-confidence to start a small business.  Most start-ups will fail within five years.

But entrepreneurs enter the market believing absolutely in their chances of success.  Highly successful people are goal-oriented.  They are not really too concerned about who likes or dislikes them

Such self-confidence can also cross over into arrogance, of course.

They’re disagreeable

The next of the four traits of successful entrepreneurs is disagreeableness.

Entrepreneurs tend to be uninterested in social approval. They are not too concerned about who likes or dislikes them. “It’s none of my business what other people think of me” is the motto of serial entrepreneur and banking dynasty scion, Nat Rothschild.

This goes against the grain because in general, ordinary mortals like the approval of others.

Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t have cared less about the opinion of his Harvard contemporaries, or indeed his professors. As The Social Network showed, he was driven to succeed with Facebook, irrespective of peer approval.

The film, written by scriptwriting legend Aaron Sorkin, has a  pointed tagline.  It goes “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.”

And not caring what other people think is what makes an entrepreneur more free to pursue their goals.

They’re responsible

If a start-up is to succeed, it must be managed responsibly.  Someone has to actually take care of the business.

Successful entrepreneurs tend to be conscientious individuals, which is hardly surprising.

The business is their baby.  And when that baby cries in the night, someone has to get up to feed it.

Read more here.

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