Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.” That’s true, of course, but this definition doesn’t tell the whole story—namely the entrepreneur characteristics that define their success and, more importantly, the intrinsic drive it takes to achieve that success.

There are 5 entrepreneur characteristics that are common among anyone who strives to start and run his or her own business. These characteristics are found in entrepreneurs at any age, in any industry, and at any socioeconomic level.

The 5 “C’s” of entrepreneur characteristics are:
Commitment: An entrepreneur has to be 100% committed to his or her idea, vision, product or service, and business strategy to achieve his or her goals. Call it dedication. Call it perseverance. By any name, commitment is one of those entrepreneur characteristics that embodies the daily drive to take another step closer to his or her dream, to stay focused, and to work tirelessly in the face of adversity.
Confidence: Entrepreneur characteristics like confidence go hand-in-hand with commitment. Entrepreneurs have to believe in themselves and believe in what they’re doing. Whether it’s creating social change, inventing a new product, or improving a service, confidence is an entrepreneur characteristic that enables them to strive under pressure and be a strong leader.
Creativity: Entrepreneurs are creative by nature. They have a knack for seeing things from a different perspective than most people, and then developing an inventive product or service to improve other people’s lives and businesses (and sometimes both). It’s said that entrepreneurs are born. If so, creativity is one of the innate entrepreneur characteristics that causes them to see the brick and imagine the building.
Courage: An entrepreneur has to be courageous. After all, it’s scary to venture out on your own with little more than a dream and the passion to create something out of nothing. Courage is a characteristic of entrepreneurs that gives them the grit and conviction that success is possible if they never stop working towards their goals.
Collaboration: Entrepreneurs are born leaders, but they also know they can’t do everything themselves. They see the big picture and bring others on board who share their vision and fulfill a key part of their business. Entrepreneur characteristics like leadership and collaboration enable them to beat their competition because everyone works as a team to achieve a specific goal.

While these are only five of the many entrepreneur characteristics, they are all critical for someone to carve their own path in business. Whether his or her desire is to make money or improve the lives of others (or both), he or she almost undoubtedly personifies the 5 “C’s” of entrepreneur characteristics.

Do these entrepreneur characteristics sound strangely familiar? Are you an entrepreneur that needs a jump-start in your business? Daisy Swan & Associates specialize in career coaching to help nurture these entrepreneur characteristics for those who hear the call of their own venture. The company also supports people in recognizing and pursuing other career paths when confusion sets in and they feel overwhelmed by what to do next. Visit www.DaisySwan.com or call 310.820.8877 to learn more.