Entrepreneurship in IT

Successful entrepreneurs have three essential characteristics - the correct attitude, the ability to persevere and a personality. Entrepreneurs also need to be all-rounders, understanding all aspects of business. Most entrepreneurs start on their own and so will need to be able to manage the different spheres of their business effectively, such as administration, logistics, sales, accounting, client relationship management, etc.

Although success in entrepreneurship takes much more than ticking off a checklist, following these tips as to what entrepreneurs should and shouldn't do may help make the achievement of success a little easier.

Positive attributes

Be confident and stay positive - one needs to have a 'never say die attitude'. It is also important to ground oneself; always be willing to learn. As an entrepreneur, it is also imperative to remain vigilant and always be aware of what is happening in and around the business. Be prepared to live with insecurity; in the IT industry and in general the life of an entrepreneur is guaranteed only one thing - ups and downs. The most important thing for an entrepreneur to do is to have fun; enjoy the lifestyle entrepreneurship allows and its benefits."

Avoid the negative

Certain behaviour can hamper entrepreneurial success and these actions should be avoided. Do not ever give up or have a negative attitude, this will permeate throughout the business and this in itself can cause failure. Do not think you know everything, because you do not. Do not always worry about everything; it does nothing to solve any problems. Do not underestimate yourself, believe in your own abilities and others will believe in you too. Do not be too quick to trust anyone, the business world is an environment in which everyone is in it for themselves, to make a profit for their own companies - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

'The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect.' - Adam Osborne. However, one can learn from the mistakes of others, taking good advice, ignoring bad advice and learning the difference between the two is all part of the entrepreneurial journey.