Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, takes risks, start your own business and fulfill your dreams of financial independence and be your own boss?

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What is an entrepreneur? Well, the word itself came from late 19^th century France as “entreprendre”, which means “somebody who undertakes”.

So, an entrepreneur is one who takes risks, or as Encarta defines it, a risk-taking businessperson, somebody who initiates or finances new commercial enterprises.

Are entrepreneurs born or made?

Is entrepreneurship a gift, a talent, or can be developed? Read what the famous entrepreneurs have to say about entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneur is our visionary, the creator in each of us. We’re born with that quality and it defines our lives as we respond to what we see, hear, feel, and experience. It is developed, nurtured, and given space to flourish or is squelched, thwarted, without air or stimulation, and dies. – Michael Gerber, best-selling author of business strategy books and entrepreneur.

Most new jobs won’t come from our biggest employers. They will come from our smallest. We’ve got to do everything we can to make entrepreneurial dreams a reality. – Ross Perot, famous businessman and entrepreneur

Nobody talks of entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking. – Anita Roddick, founder of Body Shop chain of stores

I did something that challenged the banking world. Conventional banks look for the rich; we look for the absolutely poor. All people are entrepreneurs, but many don’t have the opportunity to find that out. – Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize awardee.

It appears, then, that entrepreneurs are made, and not born. Entrepreneurship knowledge, skills and attitudes can be learned, developed and nurtured.

Do you have the qualities to become an Entrepreneur?

Some years ago, the United States Minority Business Development Agency has made a research and identified the character traits of men and women who have a streak of entrepreneurship in them, as follows:

1. Driven by passion and the desire to get wealthy and the associated social recognitions. Cherishing accomplishments.

2. Strong qualities of leadership: An entrepreneur takes it upon him/herself the work needed to get the job done. Prepared to work endlessly so that the problem is solved. Adapts to changes effortlessly.

3. Sufficiently self-motivated and can motivate others. Passionate, ethical and driven by honesty.

4. Willingness to take risks and innovate while being unafraid of mistakes. Will not sit back repenting a mistake; goes ahead with rectifying it.

5. Ready to sacrifice, thus making a difference to others.

6. Willing to seek professional advice and has the requisite interpersonal skills.

Time to make your dreams come true

Now that you know that entrepreneurs are made, and not born, do you have with you the qualities to become an entrepreneur?

If you have, is it not about time to make your dreams come true by becoming an entrepreneur?

What about you? Are you thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?

If you have the “never say die attitude”, don’t like to quit and can stomach failures and crisis, then you may have what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

The entrepreneurs and businessmen and women who make it to the top and became successful are not familiar with fear of failure. In a Forbes study of 50 of the top entrepreneurs and business leaders some years ago, it was found out that almost all of them said that if their business had gone under, they would have started another.

To become a successful entrepreneur, you need to have the following qualities:

1 . Self driven and confident, and have the ability to inspire confidence in others.

2. Persistent, patient, and wanting to keep on trying, despite failures.

3. Flexible, able to keep on trying, and believe in the adage that “try and try until you succeed.”

4. Daring, not afraid to take a risk.

5. Independent, getting more satisfaction and fulfillment from being responsible to yourself than from getting the praises of superiors.

6. Visionary, knowing where you want your business to go and how it should get there.

So, do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?