7 Secret Signs You're Meant to Be An Entrepreneur

Most people think an entrepreneur is a person who operates a business, however, there is a difference between the two. An entrepreneur is more than a business owner, they have big ideas that haven’t been done before. They are the risk takers and innovators that have brought us new products and services like Uber, Shule Direct, and WhatsApp. For instance, someone who owns a hair salon is a small business owner, however, someone who starts a mobile hair salon that travels through the city and operates on solar power well that’s an entrepreneur.

So are you an entrepreneur in the making? These 7 signs will let you know.

There’s A Problem That Really Bothers You

Here’s the thing, successful businesses solve problems. For instance, Bolt, a car-hiring app has achieved rapid success globally, including in Tanzania, because technologically savvy people had a problem with getting around the city conveniently and Bolt provided a solution. It capitalised on the demand for flexible part-time jobs and extra cash for car owners. So, if you have something that really bothers you (poor customer service in restaurants? traffic jams? or even the lack of locally made wine?), then maybe you should start thinking of solutions…

You Hate Taking Orders From Other People

Tanzanian society really values discipline, it’s taught in the government, schools and implemented in the homes. A good employee is one that takes orders, however, if you are meant to be an entrepreneur than you may struggle with this.

If you find it difficult to work for other people, then either you have the wrong boss or need a to work for yourself. You may respect your boss and even see them as a mentor, but if you have an entrepreneurial spirit then you’re going to want to be in a position to give orders rather than take them. Your mind is probably swimming with ideas (or just one) and you want to be able to implement them, rather than working towards someone else’s dream.

You Naturally Play A Leadership Role

Whether it be a group project at work, planning a getaway weekend with friends, or even a simple conversation amongst peers at dinner if you naturally take the lead in everyday matters then maybe you were meant to also do the same in your career.

It’s important to note that there are many ways to be a leader. In Tanzanian society, the most visible style of leadership is the super bossy and assertive kind, whereby a person dominates a conversation, is really loud, and confident. However, a leader can also be subtle in their approach, they can be the quiet friend who everyone goes to for advice and people are naturally drawn to without being super charismatic. So if you identify traits of leadership in yourself, well, why not put them to good use?

You Aren’t Lazy When You Are Passionate About Something

Being hard working is an important quality if you want success in anything, however, sometimes we label people as lazy when the real issue is that they lack passion.

For instance, you work in a marketing agency but get easily demotivated at work and distracted by your own side-projects and ideas as a DJ. This does not mean that you are not a hard worker, instead, it indicates that you just need to be passionate about something to do it well (because you do put effort into improving your DJing skills and getting gigs).

You Don’t Take Things at Face Value, You Ask ‘why’ A Lot

Entrepreneurs are visionaries, and to be able to see solutions to problems in society before other people, you have to question the status quo and think outside the box. Asking ‘why’ is the first step to success, as it allows you to recognise the faults and then create solutions.

Moreover, a lot of successful entrepreneurs offer better options to existing solutions. Before Netflix, people could watch movies by renting DVDs (which was fine), however, Netflix offered a better way to enjoy movies, series, and other home entertainment programming by harnessing the internet.

You Feel Slightly Jealous When You Read About Other Successful Entrepreneurs

Jealousy isn’t always a bad thing, in fact, it can tell you what you are missing in your life. Do you feel jealous every time you read an article or watch a video about an entrepreneur who followed their dreams and achieved success?Is this feeling not simply because of their money, looks, or success but the fact that they actually took the risk and made it? Well, this may be your inner voice telling you, you need to do the same. The success of others isn’t meant to make you feel bad about yourself, instead, they indicate that you too can achieve amazing things.

You Are Afraid

While fear is the way our body warns us of potential danger, it should not prevent you from pursuing your goals.

The fear you experience when you entertain the thought of following your dreams is based on the fact that you don’t know the outcome, not that you’ll be unsuccessful. If an idea you have scares you, this means that it matters to you  it’s not just something silly that you thought about.We are only affected by the things we care about. So if being an entrepreneur scares you, then that means that you care about it, and should probably pursue it.

You’ll never know for sure until you try

At the end of the day, we want to remember our success and not our regrets. And even if a business idea fails, at least you tried and learned from your mistake. This may sound cliche, but it’s true that you only have one life to live, and it’s yours, so do what feels right for you because no one else will. Plus, Tanzania needs entrepreneurs to help the country grow in the coming years, so will you be part of that growth? Hopefully, these tips have helped you figure that out.

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