Category: Entrepreneurship

The 8 traits shared by the most successful entrepreneurs

By Entrepreneur June 10, 2015


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What separates the successful entrepreneur from the one who fails?
There may not be just one answer. However, the common theme among successful entrepreneurs is they have the right mentality to embark on the entrepreneurial journey.

What specific mentalities do successful entrepreneurs possess? Here are eight of them.

1. No respect for the status quo.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Apple, Inc.

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 the famous, ‘Think Different,’ campaign was launched. This was no coincidence. Jobs was known for not following the status quo, which is why most entrepreneurs turn to his career for inspiration. Most successful entrepreneurs strive for the freedom to do what they want and not be told that, “this is how things are done.”

2. Abundant thinker.

“Over the years, I have noticed that there are two kinds of thinking. One kind leads to success, joy, and fulfillment. The other leads to failure, fear, and discontent.” – Michael Hyatt

Best-selling author Michael Hyatt believes that for people to be successful they need to be abundant thinkers. Characteristics of abundant thinkers include:

  • There is more where that came from.
  • Want to share ideas, knowledge, contacts, etc.
  • Can easily build relationships through trust.
  • Embrace competition.
  • Deliver more than expected.
  • Are optimistic.
  • Think big and take risks.
  • Are confident and appreciative.

So, would you rather be generous, confident and able to make meaningful connections or stingy, pessimistic and fearful?

3. Learn as you go.

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand, and walk, and run, and climb, and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

As any entrepreneur will inform you, there’s a lot of trial and error involved with starting and maintaining your own business. No matter how knowledgeable you are regarding your industry, how many college degrees you have, or how much money you’ve made or lost along the way, entrepreneurs face their fair share of success and failures. That’s a part of the journey. Being able to learn, however, increases your chances of success since it will help you adapt to changes, as well as discovering what works for you and your business.

4. Live a frugal life.

I think frugality drives innovation, just like other constraints do. One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out. – Jeff Bezos

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos may believe that being frugal can help with innovation, but living a frugal life is championed by many other entrepreneurs and business leaders. For example, Warren Buffett, despite having the money to purchase anything he wants, lives a modest lifestyle. Instead of toys and mansions, Buffett’s riches come from loving what he does and doing it well. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg famously drove an entry-level Acura even though he was worth more than $7 billion.

Being frugal doesn’t mean that you have to be cheap. It means not being careless with your money. Instead of taking loans out to purchase a luxury vehicle, save that money so that you can expand your business.

5. Problem solver.

“The happiest and most successful people I know don’t just love what they do, they’re obsessed with solving an important problem, something that matters to them.” – Drew Houston

Don’t just start a business for the sake of starting a business. Successful entrepreneurs start a business because they see a real-world problem and have the drive and desire to solve that problem. Remember, as Martin Zwilling puts it perfectly in Entrepreneur, “Entrepreneurs see problems as milestones to success, not barriers.”

6. Hustler.

“Good things happen to those who hustle.” – Chuck Noll

Entrepreneurs are go-getters. They never stop. In fact, that’s how Gary Vaynerchuk launched Wine Library. According to Gary, “I was walking into any business that might be relevant to my community and passing out flyers and coupons one-by-one to gain more exposure. Nobody gave a crap or knew who we were, but I knocked on doors and made sure we got the exposure we needed.”

If you want to succeed, you have to hustle. You have to put in long hours, build a quality  product, and do whatever it takes to get your name out there.

7. Listen to others but decide for yourself.

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” – Bernard Baruch

While entrepreneurs are free-spirits and make their own decisions, it’s also important that you listen to what others have to say. If you aren’t listening to your customers, how do you know if they’re satisfied with you products or services? Maybe this entire time they haven’t enjoyed what you’re providing, which is why sales have been sluggish.

Whether it’s from customers, team members, colleagues or mentors, always take the time to listen to advice. However, it’s you who ultimately has to make the final decision.

8. Think like an athlete.

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twentysix times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

Athletes are some of the most passionate and driven individuals on the planet. How often do you hear about the insane training regiments that athletes subject themselves to in order to play the game? How about the Olympic star who was told that they’ll never compete again, only to win a medal the next time around?

Athletes regularly defy the impossible. And so do entrepreneurs. Evan Spiegel, for example, was told that Snapchat was a “terrible idea” by a venture capitalist. Did Spiegel listen? Of course not. He marched forward and made Snapchat a hit.

As an entrepreneur, you’re going to face failure and opposition, but you’re passion and obsession with your idea will be the drive you need to find success.

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21 things you should do on your first day of work

Business Insider By Jacquelyn Smith


(BurnAway/flickr) Say “Hi” to everyone.

The first day at your new job may be among the most memorable — and perhaps stressful — of your career.

“Most of us remember our first days at every job because of the heightened pressure to impress,” says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant; How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “But you can reduce your anxiety by being as meticulous in planning your first day as you were in securing your new position.”

David Parnell, a legal consultant, communication coach, and author, says it’s easy, even tempting, to passively ride along with the “human resources tour that usually sets off the first day of employment.” There will be forms to fill out, videos to watch, people to meet, “and generally speaking, no real position-specific responsibilities,” he says. “But taking a passive versus proactive response would be a mistake. The first day sets the tone for the rest of your career with those who you’ll be interacting with.”

Here are 21 things you should do on the first day of your new job:

1. Prepare and ask questions. Mark Strong, a life, career, and executive coach based in New York, says although you should spend much of your first day listening, you can and should ask questions when necessary. “Generally, you’re trying to demonstrate your curiosity and desire to learn,” he says.

Taylor says it’s a good idea to prepare by writing down both practical and general questions about how you can be most successful in the role. “By now you have enough background on the company to integrate more in-depth questions at your orientation meetings,” she says. “Have a list of questions handy for managers you think you might meet. Make sure you also have a contact in HR in case you have very basic inquiries before you start or on your first day.”

2. Prepare an elevator pitch. Get ready to give a 30-second explainer of who you are and where you were before, as many new colleagues will likely ask about your previous place of employment, Taylor says. Be prepared to also describe what you’ll be doing in this new position, since there may be people who have a vague understanding of your role or simply want to strike up a conversation.


(MKTGInsider/YouTube) Know your “pitch.”

3. Show up early, but enter the building on time. Get there at least 15 minutes early, suggests Teri Hockett, chief executive of What’s For Work?, a career site for women. “If you haven’t done the commute before, practice it a couple of times during rush hour a week before so that you’re at least somewhat prepared for the unknown.” But wait at a nearby coffee shop until the time your new boss or HR asked you to arrive.

4. Figure out the social landscape. Two of the more important factors in succeeding at a job are to not only get along with your co-workers, but also to associate with the right ones, Parnell explains. “In any sizeable work environment you will find cliques, and some mesh better with management than others. If you want to eventually move up in the ranks with your new employer, you’ll need to associate with the right crowd.”

He says it’s also essential that you begin to determine the office politics on day one. “Power is an interesting, quite important, and sometimes elusive thing in the work environment,” he says. “Certainly it is vital to understand the articulated positional hierarchy in your organization — who answers to who. This should be as easy as reading your co-worker’s titles. However, because power can manifest in so many different ways, it is imperative to understand who actually answers to who.”

5. Relax. While you’re being strategic, also remember to relax on your first day so that you can optimize your productivity. “Make sure you’re well rested, prepared, and have every reason to be on time. This is a visible milestone, and you want to be at your best,” Taylor says.

6. Smile. “It may have taken awhile to reach this point, after searching, interviewing, and landing the job, so don’t forget to be happy and enjoy the moment,” Hockett says.

Strong agrees, saying: “We all know that first impressions matter. Smile when you meet new people, and shake their hands. Introduce yourself to everyone, and make it clear how happy and eager you are to be there. Your co-workers will remember.”

7. Look and play the part. When in doubt, take the conservative approach in how you dress and what you say and do. Be as professional as you were in the interview process.

Hockett suggests you determine the dress code in advance so that you don’t look out of place on your first day. “This is important because sometimes the way we dress can turn people off to approaching us, or it sends the wrong message.” Ideally, you want to blend in and make others and yourself comfortable. If you’re not sure what the dress code is, call the HR department and ask.


(Flickr / Dave Collier) Dress the part.

8. Don’t be shy. Say “Hi” and introduce yourself to everyone you can.

9. Talk to as many people as possible. One of the most invaluable insights you can get in the beginning is how the department operates from the perspective of your peers. If you establish that you’re friendly and approachable early on, you will start on the right foot in establishing trust.

10. Befriend at least one colleague. Go a step further and try to make a friend on Day 1. “Beyond generally talking to peers and getting the lay of the land, it’s always a good to connect with a fellow team member or two on your first day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes,” says Taylor. “Beginning a new job can be stressful at any level, and this practice can be very grounding, accelerating your ability to get up to speed faster in a foreign atmosphere.”

Let your colleague(s) know that you’re available to lend a helping hand. A little goodwill goes a long way. The positive energy and team spirit you exude will be contagious, and the best time to share that is early on, versus later, when you need people.

11. Don’t try too hard. The urge to impress can take you off-track, so remember that you’re already hired — you don’t have to wow your new colleagues, Taylor says. It’s every new employee’s dream to hear that people noted how brilliant and personable they are, or how they seem to “get” the company so quickly. But that can be a lot of wasted energy; you’ll impress naturally — and more so once you understand the ropes.

12. Don’t turn down lunch. “If you’re offered to go have lunch with your new boss and coworkers, go,” Hockett says. “It’s important to show that you’re ready to mingle with your new team — so save the packed lunch for another day.”


(Gareth Williams/flickr) Enjoy lunch with your new boss.

13. Listen and observe. The best thing anyone can do in the first few days of a new job is “listen, listen, and listen,” Strong says. “It’s not time to have a strong opinion. Be friendly, meet people, smile, and listen.”

This is a prime opportunity to hear about the goals your boss and others have for the company, the department, and top projects. It’s your chance to grasp the big picture, as well as the priorities. “Be prepared to take lots of notes,” Taylor suggests.

14. Project high energy. You will be observed more in your early days from an external standpoint, Taylor says. Your attitude and work ethic are most visible now, as no one has had a chance to evaluate your work skills just yet. Everyone wants to work with enthusiastic, upbeat people — so let them know that this is exactly what they can expect.

15. Learn the professional rules. On your first day, your employer will have a description of your responsibilities — either written or verbal. This is what you should do to be successful at your job. “With that being said, there is usually a gap between what you should do, and what actually happens,” Parnell says. “This is important because while you shouldn’t neglect any articulated duties, there may be more that are implicitly expected of you. It is usually best to find this out sooner rather than later.”

16. Put your cell phone on silent. You need to be 100% present at work, especially on the first day.

17. Show interest in everyone, and the company. You’ll likely be introduced to many people, and while they may make the first attempt to learn a little about you, make an effort to find out about them and their role. It’s not just flattering, it will help you do your job better, Taylor says.


(Flickr/VFS Digital Design) Learn what everyone does.

18. Pay attention to your body language. Your body language makes up the majority of your communication in the workplace. Assess what you’re communicating to better understand how others may perceive you, and make any necessary adjustments.

19. Be available to your boss. “This might sound obvious at face value, but on your first day of work, you’ll likely be pulled in a thousand directions,” says Taylor. You want to make sure you’re accessible to your new boss first and foremost on your this day, despite all the administrative distractions.

“This is an important first impression you don’t want to discount,” she adds. “Companies are not always as organized as they’d like when onboarding staff. You can easily get caught up with an HR professional, various managers or coworkers — or with a special assignment that keeps you from being available to the person who matters most.” On your first day of work, check in with your manager throughout the day.

20. Be yourself. “Think of ways to be relaxed and project yourself as who you are,” Taylor says. “It’s stressful to try to be someone else, so why bother? You want some consistency in who you are on day one and day 31. If you have the jitters, pretend you’re meeting people at a business mixer or in the comfort of your own home, and that these are all friends getting to know each other. That’s not far from the truth; you’ll be working closely with them and enjoy building the relationship, so why not start now?”

21. Leave with a good attitude. The last thing to remember is that while the first day at a new job is very important, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t go flawlessly. “You might look back on your performance on day one and second-guess yourself,” Taylor says. “Yes, you should prepare and try to do your best, but remember that if you try to accomplish too much, you may get overwhelmed. Know that there’s always tomorrow.”

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A big step on my entrepreneurial journey

April 28, 2015 By Brian R. King, LCSW

open-4-bizWhy did you decide to go into business for yourself?

Were you sick of working for someone else?
Did you experience an unexpected loss of employment that you turned into an opportunity to become self-employed?

Whatever the reason, each of has our entrepreneurial origin story.

I was raised by entrepreneurs, but after a lifetime of watching them work hard, long hours, I’d thought it wasn’t for me.

So I graduated college with a master’s in social work, got a job and started a family. It was when my oldest son Zach was diagnosed with a form of autism after entering first grade that the foundation of my journey was solidified.

I had to quickly become an expert on autism, available resources, and best practices for parenting a child with such unique needs. It was in helping Zach, and later his brothers to navigate the complex waters of the autism spectrum that I discovered my lifelong struggles could be explained by undiagnosed ADHD and Dyslexia.

I became so skilled at raising my own children that other parents began clamoring for my advice. A small group strongly urged me to open my own practice and after about 18 months of prodding I did it. Now 9 years and 5 books later, I have an international following of those who seek my advice.

As a fellow entrepreneur, you know that the journey doesn’t always stay pointed in the same direction. This lifestyle teaches us, grows us and transforms us. Over the past nine years I’ve learned so much about myself, most importantly, that raising a child on the autism spectrum doesn’t require you to be an expert on autism per se‘, you will do any child a greater service if you simply learn to model the importance of simply being human.

You teach them (through your example) that:

  • Perfectionism isn’t a strategy for success, but trial and learning is.
  • Delegating isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s the realization that your personal and business growth depends upon your opportunity to focus on your core genius, the gift that differentiates you from your competitors.
  • Succeeding in partnership instead of alone allows you to go further, faster and impact more lives.
  • This is just the tip of the iceberg

Why am I telling you all of this?

A few years ago I realized that I had effectively painted myself into a corner (entrepreneurially speaking). When I started my practice nine years ago I chose the name, I’m An Aspie, Inc., (NOTE: ‘Aspie’ is a colloquial term coined by the adult community of those with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, to depathologize their experience) as it captured my close identification with the autism community and my commitment to them.

But as I grew as a parent, an entrepreneur, and most importantly as a person. I realized that I had so many other talents, talents I really enjoyed using, but could find few opportunities to express as long as I was known solely as “The autism parenting guy.”

I realized, that if I was going to become the change I wanted to see, I needed to make some changes, one of the biggest was the name of my business. With that, I am happy to announce that as of today, the legal name of my business is Brian R. King International, Inc.

What does that mean moving forward? The special needs community has been an important part of my life for the past nine years, as I’m raising children with special needs, that community will always have a place in my life. But I know I can do more.

Over the years, I’ve discovered a gift for helping people learn to see their lives as an empowering story of trips, triumphs and opportunities to bring value to the lives they touch every single day. Little did I know that this ability would be attractive to businesses looking to more authentically connect with their customers.

One company in particular called Microshare Intl, approached me with an opportunity to joint venture with them on several long term projects that will allow me to use my gift for storytelling to help its clients better connect with their customers. This is a very exciting time for me and my business, I hope you’ll come along for the journey.

Remember, the journey of our lives is more a maze than a highway. It can feel like there are more falls than forwards and more stops than goes. But you know what, if that’s how your life feels then it means you’re doing it right. The journey of an entrepreneur is about perseverance, resilience, creativity, passion and vision. It’s also about humility, partnership and humanity. Here’s to your journey, may it lead you to the place where dreams and reality meet.

Thanks for being you.

About Brian R. King, LCSW

brian_finalBrian R. King, LCSW is the Director of Business Development for Microshare Intl to provide Entrepreneurs and Companies with cutting edge marketing and business building strategies.

As a Professional Workshop Facilitator and Keynote Presenter who has been wowing audiences since he was 17 years old, Brian has become increasingly known for his personal story of resilience in the face of Learning and Physical disabilities to become#1 Best-Selling Author and successful Entrepreneur.

In his popular keynote presentations, Brian reveals key decisions we all must make in order to be consistently successful regardless of our challenges.

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