Business entrepreneurship is on the rise with rapidly developing tech and fast growing teams. Leaders, particularly in start-ups, need to develop skills to influence their teams in order to be a successful entrepreneur.
While there’s no magic formula, there are a certain set of entrepreneurial skills you’ll need to give your business the best start.
Why are entrepreneurial skills important?
A strong set of entrepreneurial skills sets up your business for success and establishes a powerful culture early on which means smoother transitions in the future when it comes to scaling your business.
Along with an eagerness to learn and flexibility; and of course, a solid business plan, entrepreneurs must have a vision of the company’s future and be able to easily communicate it. The ability to inspire your team and have a clear mission, enables employees to buy-in themselves.
Gaining the attention of potential investors, and securing all-important funding is also crucial in the start-up phase of a business. You have to be able to sell both yourself and your idea or product, as well as nurture relationships with investors and banks.
What are the 3 entrepreneurial skills that you need to develop?
1. Persuasive business storytelling
The key to becoming an impactful leader is influence and this can be achieved by learning how to tell powerful stories. Persuasive stories helps you connect with your audience quickly and are 22 times more easy to remember than facts. This edge gets the cut-through you need when time is limited and you need to have impact.
Whip out a compelling, engaging story that links to your business outcome and see your audience connect with your ideas fast.
Get a FREE guide on Creating Stories That Influence Change.
2. Curating a personal brand
As an entrepreneur, you have to put yourself front and centre as the figurehead of your brand. You’re not just selling a product or service but yourself as well.
While it may feel unnatural or uncomfortable at first, curating a personal brand is an important entrepreneurial skill and a key part of your business’s success. It can take time to develop so where do you start?
Identify your leadership values first as a baseline to determine the kind of impact you want to have, then hone in on the details to create a personal brand.
3. Communication skills
Business entrepreneurship requires you to wear a multitude of hats at once – dealing with not only team members, but clients, investors, key stakeholders, executives etc. To be a successful entrepreneur, you need to learn how to communicate at a high level in various scenarios.
You also need to master different forms of communication, including one-on-one and group conversations, written communication and email or online messages. Not being able to do this effectively is one of the major reasons start-ups fail – all the tech skills in the world won’t help if you can’t hold the attention of investors.
Develop the physiology of a confident leader to enhance your authority during meetings.
What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?
Talk to successful entrepreneurs and they’ll tell you that they didn’t get where they are by going it alone. Working with and taking advice from experts is one of the best ways you can accelerate your business and career. Seek professional training if you feel your communications skills are lacking. Like any other skill set, these can be learned and perfected over time.
Learning new skills, whether it’s a communication method, processes or technology can only help to make your business stronger and more efficient.
Want to transform your business and your entrepreneurial skills?
Learn how to become a more confident communicator by using persuasive storytelling techniques to make a direct connection with your audience and command greater buy-in. Storytelling helps you engage and influence your audience at a deeper level, build trust and commitment fast and ensure your message is remembered.
From greater leadership impact with team members to attracting the attention of investors, persuasive storytelling is key to nurturing long-term relationships, gaining funding and becoming a successful entrepreneur.
Enquire about our Persuasive Business Storytelling today!
The Colin James Method® Facilitators train corporate executives to improve their professional communication skills with a proven methodology. Our highly trained Facilitators and Coaches are recognised for their experience in their fields and have worked with many individuals and organisations around the world to master the art of communication.
