Most of us know what an entrepreneur is – that real go-getter who opens at least one successful business despite a certain level of financial risk.
On the other hand, a wantrepreneur is essentially a wannabe entrepreneur. They may love the idea of starting a company, working for themselves and calling their own shots at work — but they have not made that all-important leap between wanting to and actually doing it.
If you feel you might currently be more of a wantrepreneur than entrepreneur, but are really trying to change your figurative spots when it comes to your work, check out these classic signs, as well as how to overcome them:
1. You Talk About Working for Yourself
A classic sign of being a wantrepreneur is if you spend a lot of time telling your friends, family members and the guy on line in front of you at the supermarket how you really want to work for yourself. The trouble is, you have not left your 9-to-5 job yet, so as of now it’s all talk and no action. To test the entrepreneurial waters, consider starting your own business with the help of a company like Amway, which has helped people nurture their entrepreneurial spirits for years, offers a flexible work schedule and has ways to help people like you to sell products and grow your own company. You can start by moonlighting with Amway while keeping your current job, putting your extra time into your new entrepreneurial life.
2. You Have Not Researched What it Really Takes to Succeed
As Entrepreneur notes, a key difference between a wantrepreneur and entrepreneur is that the former often underestimates what is truly needed to create a successful business. If you have a “if you build it, they will come” approach to your new product or service, you might want to do some serious research to determine how much capital you will need to make the products, what rent might run for your office and how to get and keep customers. It’s terrific that you have a great product in mind — now do the extra homework and learn what else you will need to do.
3. You Doubt Your Decisions
To go from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur, understand that everything will not be perfect. Your website does not have to be the most amazing site on Earth before launching, and you don’t have to keep adding more bells and whistles to your product or service. As The Huffington Post notes, while you might think you are merely spending time trying to get everything right before opening your business, what you are actually doing is dilly-dallying and trying to find perfection that is probably not there. Take an honest look at your product or service and ask yourself if you would buy it — if the answer is yes, it’s time to take the plunge. Websites can be updated and improved upon and even a basic site can attract customers.
4. You are Easily Discouraged
Granted, taking the leap into the world of entrepreneurship can be scary and intimidating. Try not to let this discourage you. The fact is, there are no guarantees in life and this includes opening your own business. There will be days when it is hard and months when the revenues are lower than you thought — but when this happens, pick yourself back up and keep trying. Reach out to other entrepreneurs and ask for advice and words of encouragement, and try to remain focused on your main goal, which is to own your own company.
