Are Entrepreneurs Born Or Made?

Entrepreneurship is becoming more appealing to people from all walks of life.

In fact, ‘just under one in three UK adults (30%) now either run their own business or plan to start a business within the next three years’, emphasising how popular starting your own business has become in recent years.

An argument that has long been a debate within the world of business is whether entrepreneurs are born or made.

In short, the answer to this question is that it’s a combination of both. Although some people may be born with innate traits and qualities that lend themselves to becoming an entrepreneur, entrepreneurship can be cultivated through experience, dedication, and education.

But before we delve further into this question, let’s start with the basics.

What Exactly Is An Entrepreneur?

Beyond the simple definition of someone who begins a new business venture, an entrepreneur is someone who takes on financial risks in the hopes of making a profit.

They have an intense desire to innovate, creating new offerings to meet the demands of their target market.

Entrepreneurs are renowned for their willingness to take risks, solve problems, and their desire to turn their ideas and dreams into reality. 

In addition to this, entrepreneurs help to shape industries, driving economic growth whilst creating jobs.

Are Entrepreneurs Born Or Made?

As we touched on above, the answer is both!

While some individuals may be born with an innate entrepreneurial spark, nearly anyone can develop the mindset and skills necessary for entrepreneurship with the right resources and determination.

Some people are born with traits that relate to entrepreneurship, from perseverance to being a great leader. However, these skills can be developed and improved upon.

Although some might say that becoming an entrepreneur is a career built for a select few, anyone with the right dedication, passion, and education can become a successful entrepreneur.

That said, entrepreneurial traits are the result of a culmination of character traits and external factors.

Starting your own business has become a popular option in recent years, with ‘just under one in three UK adults (30%) now either run[ning] their own business or plan[ning] to start a business within the next three years’.

What Are The Skills Needed To Be A Successful Entrepreneur?

Many skills are required to become a successful entrepreneur, which some people might argue you’re born with. 

However, these skills can also be honed and cultivated, providing support for the argument that entrepreneurs are both born and made.

Some of the key skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur include, but are not limited to:

1. Resilience 

Starting a business involves many unavoidable setbacks.

While we all have an innate level of resilience, resilience can be developed through our environment and experiences. Considering that ‘most startups fail within their first five years’, an entrepreneur will face many problems that will test their resilience.

A successful entrepreneur will show strength and resilience by working to find a way to overcome these obstacles and learn from their mistakes to drive their business and team forward.

As failure is inevitable along the journey, you need the resilience to pick yourself back up and keep going.

2. Problem Solving

As an entrepreneur, you’ll face countless challenges that will depend on your problem solving skills.

Your ability to find innovative solutions and think critically will help resolve these situations.

That said, through observation and practice, you can improve your problem solving skills.

Are you looking for somewhere to develop your business idea and your problem-solving skills around like-minded entrepreneurs? Look no further than Tramshed Tech’s Startup Academy.

Our free 10-week incubator programme is for pre-start and early-stage tech founders to help get their startup ideas off the ground. 

We’ve tailored the Startup Academy to support entrepreneurs and help them overcome pain points that occur in the early stages of starting a business, from idea validation to testing product market fit. 

Get in touch today to find out more about the Startup Academy.

Although some might say that becoming an entrepreneur is a career built for a select few, anyone with the right dedication, passion, and education can become a successful entrepreneur.

3. Leadership

Effective leadership is a critical skill for all entrepreneurs.

Being able to encourage, inspire, and guide your team is essential.

What’s more, successful entrepreneurs must set a clear vision and foster a positive culture as they lead their team in pursuit of their goals.

Although many people argue that there are natural born leaders, leadership skills can be honed over time and through other means such as mentorship and professional coaching.

4. Time Management 

A key skill needed to become a successful entrepreneur is time management

You’ll need to juggle several tasks and responsibilities and will likely wear multiple hats in your first few years as a business owner. 

That said, being able to prioritise and effectively manage your time is key.

5. Communication & Networking

Communication and networking skills are essential to explain your ideas, overall vision, and goals as an entrepreneur.

Your ability to interact with stakeholders, staff, and customers depends on your ability to communicate well.

While many people are natural communicators, there’s an array of events designed to help you cultivate communication and networking skills when you’re first starting out as an entrepreneur.

Communication and networking skills are essential to explain your ideas, overall vision, and goals as an entrepreneur.

How We Can Help

Are you a budding tech entrepreneur in search of a community? Look no further than Tramshed Tech.

From our Startup Academy to our Greentech Accelerator to our Investor Readiness programmes, we offer a range of programmes designed to support entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey.

We’re a collaborative community and are home to 50+ companies ranging from pre-revenue start-ups to scaling businesses with 600+ registered members from the digital, creative and tech communities.

Get in touch with a member of our team to learn more about our memberships and spaces.