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 Nearly half anticipate hiring more employees in that time, according
to the April poll of nearly 2,000 CEOs by LegalZoom.
That doesn’t surprise Corrine Sandler, CEO of Fresh Intelligence
Research Corp., a global business intelligence companyranked on
Profit Magazine’s list of top 50 fastest-growing companies and
featured two years in a row on the W100 (top woman entrepreneurs in
Canada) list.
“Any natural entrepreneur is bursting with confidence, both in him-
or herself and in the conditions they control,” says Sandler, author
of “Wake Up or Die” (www.wakeupordie.us), a comprehensive guide to
the use of intelligence in the contemporary business environment.
In fact, she says, confidence is one of the five key traits shared
by successful entrepreneurs.
“Entrepreneurs need risk to thrive, so believing in themselves and
the people they’ve put in positions of responsibility is essential,”
she says. “There’s no room for doubt and second-guessing yourself.”
Use your strengths to shine and hire people to handle the jobs that
don’t play to your strengths, she advises. You’ll reinforce your own
positive self-image and you’ll give those around you even greater
confidence in you, which will help feed your belief in yourself.
Sandler, who has worked with Fortune 500 companies for more than 20
years and is a member of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organization,
says true entrepreneurs (economic change agents, as she calls them)
also share the following personality traits.
Passion: It can’t be developed through leadership training,
but everyone has the capacity for it, Sandler says.
“It’s the source of incredible energy that feeds on one of our most
powerful emotions and compels entrepreneurs forward with excitement
and enthusiasm.”
A fighter’s instinct: The best fighters have studied their
competition, identified their strengths and weaknesses, and used
that knowledge to develop a strategy to beat them. They’re
determined to give it their all whether they’re winning or losing.
“When things are going well, the entrepreneur who thinks the fight
is over and he has won will quickly find himself knocked to the mat
– just look at the Gola brand,” Sandler says. “Equally important is
having the mental fortitude to keep fighting when you’re at the
bottom, bruised and bloodied.”
Of course, “the fight” doesn’t involve punches or artillery. In
business, it involves constantly assessing the competitive market
and taking proactive measures to ensure your business holds the
advantage.
Vision: Successful entrepreneurs are always thinking ahead –
planning the future with imagination and wisdom. Having a vision
means being able to manifest original ideas.
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Strategic coaches can help you define your vision, if that’s not
your strength. Sandler relies on worksheets to crystalize and drive
the vision home, such as the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) from
“Mastering the Rockefeller Habits” by Verne Harnish.
“What you visualize will materialize,” she says.
Rebel: Entrepreneurs are agents of change; they predict the
future by creating it.
“You can’t be content with maintaining the status quo, you must push
the limits,” Sandler says. “Use intelligence to quickly and
accurately identify – and act on – market trends. Dare to be
different!”
She cites WattPad and specifically Allen Lau, founder and CEO of
Wattpad. A compelling, thought-provoking entrepreneur, Lau has built
the world’s largest community for reading and sharing stories.
The “big 6” publishing giants missed the idea, which Lau capitalized
on, creating a social media platform that allows amateur authors to
connect directly with readers. It hosts more than 5 million
user-generated stories in 25 languages, with half a million new
stories every month.
“Now, that’s a rebel with a cause,” Sandler says.
Not everyone was born to be an entrepreneur, she says.
“But if that’s what you believe you want, do an honest
self-assessment. If you’re lacking in one of these traits, address
it!”
[Text received; GINNY GRIMSLEY, NEWS
AND EXPERTS] About
Corrine Sandler
Corrine Sandler is the founder and CEO of Fresh Intelligence
Research Corp, a global market research agency; international
professional speaker and author of “Wake Up or Die,” (www.wakeupordie.us)
a new book that applies lessons from Sun Tzu’s ancient classic, “The
Art of War,” to contemporary businesses. Corrine has been on
Profit’s top 100 Female Entrepreneurs list two years in a row. With
more than 20 years’ experience, she has established a reputation for
unparalleled consumer understanding and insight development working
with Fortune 500 companies.
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