Eight attributes that are central to successful entrepreneurs

Countless books have been written on the subject of starting your own business and becoming a successful entrepreneur. I’ve devoured several myself. Standouts include Tom Peters’ “A Passion for Excellence,” Stephen R. Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Jim Collins’ “Good to Great.”
The book that has had the biggest impact on me is Michael Gerber’s “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It.” Gerber’s example of Sarah the pie-maker — who loved making pies and opened her own shop, only to become a slave to the job and to detest pies — really spoke to me. The passion you feel for your craft is a cornerstone of entrepreneurial success, but you cannot develop a business if all you’re doing is creating a job.
Key entrepreneurial qualities
In my experience, successful entrepreneurs share some key qualities that make them business builders.
At the top of the list is common sense — the ability to make sound judgments on the issues you encounter in everyday situations. Awareness, uncluttered thinking and basic good judgment go a long way in sustaining a prosperous business.
Having specialized knowledge of your field — knowledge gained from previous work experience in that area — is paramount. Your business can’t afford costly errors due to inexperience; having knowledge in your field helps reduce the number of major mistakes.
Self-confidence is an obvious one. A successful entrepreneur must believe in his or her abilities. You must be able to strongly defend your plan and your goals.
Entrepreneurs must be persistent, hardworking and have the ability to get things done. They do things themselves, or they delegate immediately.
Creativity is vital — the ability to come up with new solutions to old problems, to think outside the box.
Successful entrepreneurs place character over experience in their hiring process. We look for candidates with knowledge in our industry, but sometimes hiring the right people means choosing applicants who demonstrate good character, integrity, honesty and a willingness to learn. Hire on foundation skills. Then teach them your business.
Certainly a successful entrepreneur must have exceptional leadership skills. The capacity to utilize effective motivation, planning, coaching and evaluation to guide your employees is crucial. A leader inspires his or her team by talking the talk and walking the walk.
And lastly, the ability to handle adversity, to deal with difficult and stressful situations in a calm, focused manner, is essential. Remaining composed and rational in the midst of a crisis gives you the clear vision to overcome any hurdle.

These eight attributes have been instrumental in building Jarrett Logistics Systems into the business it is today. I would strongly advise anyone with a burning desire to become an entrepreneur to begin with the end in mind, as Covey says. That is, you must have a sound business plan and a strategy for growth to establish a business model that is scalable, repeatable and sustainable. One that allows the business to work for you, not just provide you with a job.