10 Traits That Make You a Better Entrepreneur Than an Employee

Before committing to entrepreneurship, my entire career had been bouncing back and forth between self-employment and full-time jobs. Even though I loved what I was doing and was successful at my jobs, there was always a need to realize my own visions and fulfill a deeper purpose.

In hindsight, my jobs became stepping stones until I figured out what business idea(s) I wanted to pursue. I often took a job to sharpen the skills I needed to move on to the next endeavor, knowing one day I would use all the resources I’d acquired to build something of my own.

My love of entrepreneurship began at a fairly young age. My parents dabbled in several small businesses a few years after we moved to the States, looking for ways to bring more income for the family. Each time my dad brought up a new product idea or had an interesting discussion with a friend about a business venture, my ears would go up. The process of building a business was a thrilling adventure to me, with limitless potential. So why did it take me decades to finally commit to entrepreneurship? Simple. Building your own business is hard!

I started my own graphic design gig when I was 22 (then again around 32); I developed and launched a skincare line when I was 28; I developed and distributed a line of bamboo fiber apparel when I was around 40. None of them took off, partly because I knew I could always go find a full-time job if things didn’t work out. And with that mindset, I did just that whenever I faced a major setback.

What made me realize that being an entrepreneur is my ultimate career path was that I finally saw how differently I handled my full-time job than everyone else in the company — I was 100% invested and I couldn’t help myself. I began to notice the traits I always displayed no matter what I was doing at work and realized entrepreneurship was just in my DNA and I didn’t know it. It took me years wondering whether or not I had what it takes to build a successful business of my own, but it became clear to me why I was never truly happy at any job — because I would never be able to reach my true potential working for someone else’s business, someone else’s vision.

If you’re at a crossroads and are contemplating starting your own business, maybe my list of traits will help you determine, or at the very least, give you a starting point to research the right areas or develop certain traits you need to become an entrepreneur. To read about traits that are more fitting for employment, see my article 10 Traits that make you a better employee than an entrepreneur.

1. You consistently feel pulled toward your own career vision or purpose

Having a good business idea happens quite often and for many people. The difference between executing a spur-of-the-moment product idea to making the leap to entrepreneurship is a long-term vision of who you see yourself as. It is something you consistently feel and cannot shake as it is a trait of who you are — someone with ambition.

You might ask, well, what if I just want to make more money? Sure, many people choose to start a business because they want better financial opportunities. But there are many other ways of making more money, such as side hustles and smart investments. Becoming an entrepreneur is the start of a potentially demanding path and will become more or less a lifestyle you will need to adjust to as you go. Wanting more money isn’t a character trait, and is not enough of a reason to leave your job and take financial risks.

2. You are self-directed and don’t need instructions from others

In my humble opinion, this is one of the must-have traits for an entrepreneur. You must be self-motivated and know what your next steps are, or at least be willing to learn how to map out your own schedule and set goals for yourself. Because that’s what being an entrepreneur is. No one else will be there to monitor your progress and tell you what you need to do next. 

You will be in charge of doing what you want, when you want and how you want to do it. Sounds exciting doesn't it? The flip side is, your time is entirely your responsibility. How you use your time is entirely up to you and you won’t be financially compensated for the time you have wasted or misused. So make sure you feel good about owning your schedule and making the most of it as a business owner.

3. You enjoy new challenges

If you enjoy problem solving and being challenged from time to time, then you can expect that in spades in entrepreneurship! There will be no shortage of obstacles as a business owner. Moving through these challenges will require a combination of good common sense, quick thinking, and being calm under pressure.

Being an entrepreneur will give you a different set of challenges than you might face at your full-time job. They will be less predictable and far more organic; similarly, solutions and outcomes are often of the same nature. You will need to roll with every issue and find the best way to move forward regardless of what might come up. So make sure you already have a knack for problem solving and enjoy the thrill of a new challenge.

4. You work more efficiently on your own schedule

There are many who are comfortable with a 9 to 5 daily schedule, and then there are the rest of us, who need a less rigid routine when it comes to working productively. 

If you work more intuitively and flow with each day a little differently, then being an entrepreneur may be more suitable for you. You will have much more freedom to run your own schedule. You can take as many breaks as you’d like and you can work as much as you’d like (but be careful what you wish for). When you are the sole decision-maker, the upside is that things will move much faster and you could potentially finish something in a fraction of the time than in a big company. You are also able to take the time you need to make the right decision without anyone rushing you. Sometimes a delayed but great decision is far more efficient than a quick decision made on a whim.

5. You are good at wearing many hats

Starting your own business often means you have to wear many hats, at least initially. If you are good at many things and often feel not all of your talents are being seen at your jobs, then entrepreneurship might be very fitting for you. You will most likely find yourself juggling between multiple roles such as accounting, sales, scheduling, customer relations, etc. These roles may each take a fraction of your time but you will need to get used to bouncing back and forth between these roles to make the most of them.

If you don’t mind doing a lot of the administrative work while building your core business then you are already off to a decent start. Just keep in mind those types of work will likely not stop until you are ready to bring on a partner or hire an employee.

6. You are a creative and a free-thinker

Being a free-thinker means you have the ability to see things as they could be.

You often question rigid rules and think outside the structure you were given, and more often than not, you are able to come up with a better way of doing things. Because of your creative nature, you may find the confines of some corporate processes and red tape frustrating.

If you often feel you have a better solution than the one you are instructed to follow, then being an entrepreneur might propel you to a new level of freedom and expansion. You would have the whole world to present your ideas to and experiment with, instead of just within the company you are hired to work at. You will surely come across plenty of challenges, but there will be plenty of rewards waiting for you as well.

7.  You are patient and persistent

It is no secret that a new business often takes years to build and generate momentum before turning a profit. Having patience and persistence is what determines whether or not your business will make it in the long run.

Luckily, these traits (like many other traits) can be developed. If you are passionate about your cause and have the determination to see your vision through, then you will most likely do whatever it takes to make things work. At times you may want to give up, or want to change directions, and I believe every entrepreneur will at some point face these feelings. When I have those moments, I remind myself why I embarked on this journey to begin with. And as this quote from a wise unknown says: “If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, but never the goal.”  Keep your goals in sight and do what you can in the meantime, even in the tiniest ways.

8. You enjoy always learning and growing

With the amount of information and resources available to us these days, we can easily become overwhelmed and confused. But, always learning and growing is an inevitable part of being an entrepreneur, because everyone needs help along the way and it is essential to keep an open mind to acquire the knowledge you need to move forward toward your vision.

There will be times you feel you already know everything there is to know; and then there will be times where you feel like you know absolutely nothing. Just keep in mind help is available to you and that you could be of help to someone else too. Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, especially in the beginning, but you are definitely not alone in this pursuit. The more you share, network, connect, and collaborate with other experts, the easier this journey becomes.

9. You think long term

This means you typically think ahead beyond the next day, the next month, the next year, in 5 years, even decades to come, of what the future of your business could look like. You are less reactive and more proactive in planning and anticipating the next phase of any endeavor you are a part of. 

This could very well mean you are not constantly chasing instant gratification and are able to think strategically on whether or not an opportunity will bring you long-term satisfaction or lead to other valuable opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, being quick to act and responsive to situations is also a good trait, but in order for a business to continuously move toward the intended goal or direction, being able to think long term is very much needed to stay your course, despite the changing nature of your course.

10. You care more about self-actualization than a prestigious title or salary

Finally, at the core of wanting to be an entrepreneur is the ultimate goal of self-actualization — wanting to live your true potential before leaving this planet. What that ultimately is, is waiting to be discovered. But each of us is here for a reason, and only you know that reason at the deepest level of your soul. If you are here for a prestigious title or a big salary, that is okay too (future article coming soon).

If you have a longing desire to keep reaching and keep exploring, you might understand the meaning behind self-actualization. It is the drive behind what makes you want to put yourself out there and win and fail on your own terms, without the confines of someone’s else’s. It is the satisfaction you will have at the end of your days knowing you gave it all in this life to make it worthwhile.