Are entrepreneurs BORN or MADE? The tips below weigh in with 20 perspectives on the age-old debate.
1. “I believe I was born to be an entrepreneur. I feel as though what I do now was predestined for me long before my birth.
Let’s face it, entrepreneurship is a lot harder than it looks.
Some people just weren't born with the natural drive, motivation, persistence, dedication, and perseverance as entrepreneurs.” Brittni Abiolu Owner & Founder of CapitaLinker.com, Inc.
2. “I believe entrepreneurs are made. You are born with certain traits that will make it more of a reality: taking risks, being fanatical about achievement and success, and stopping at nothing to get it. I notice that is the one trait all successful entrepreneurs have — many times it is nothing more than perseverance that does the trick.” Faye Turner Paralegal of Law Offices of Bruce Kiselstein
3. “Some people have the gift for entrepreneurship while some people have ended up becoming entrepreneurs because of circumstances. But everyone needs to have strong work ethic and be lifelong learners, regardless of whether they have the natural gift for entrepreneurship or they have to work at it. Even someone extremely gifted like Mozart had to do a whole lot of practicing to be really good at what he did.” Nancee Marin Marketing Professional
4. “I look at an individual like a pumpkin seed. Each pumpkin seed [shares] genetic traits with its ancestral pumpkin plants. However, it is how the plant is taken care of when it is growing, where it is grown, and other environmental conditions that will determine how the pumpkin will turn out. In the same way, a person is born with certain characteristics that may make him or her more or less able to be a successful entrepreneur.” Nicholas P. van Vliet Business Development and Sales at Atlantic Trading
5. “A little of both. I'm sure that most people will adjust to whatever environment they find themselves in. If that happens to be an environment of entrepreneurial types, then there's a good chance they'll adopt entrepreneurial ways about them.” Eric Brewer BS in Business Management from WGU, Entrepreneur
6. “I would have to say born with it. Everyone is born with their own personality traits. An entrepreneur — well, let's say a SUCCESSFUL entrepreneur — must possess ambition, drive, and common sense. It's hard to teach those things.” Melody Gonzalez Human Resources Manager
7. “Crazy to say born, but some of us are born better athletes, artists, have more common sense or excel in math and science. Entrepreneurs are born and view business, projects and work differently than others. If they make it, they start again because they have to — and if they don’t, they are looking for the next chance to do it again.” John J. Mahon Strategic Payments
8. “Everything that you are is a collection of experiences. Sure a kid that is 6'6", 275 is more inclined to be a football star than the kid who is 5'5" and 150. However, not every big kid is a good football player and not every small kid is a bad one. Parents, mentors, and friends light the spark; experiences, (good and bad) provide the fuel.” Mark T. Davis Experienced Supply Chain, Transportation and Logistics Executive
9. “You either have it or you don't. Some people just want a job and be told what they need to do to make it to the next paycheck. If they feel stressed, they just get another job. If you can't juggle many balls at the same time, you don’t make the cut.” Elliott Hirsh Owner at Levis Hot Dogs
10. “It's an inherent personality trait: you're either a risk taker or you're not, so I would say ‘born.’
However, anyone with persistence, passion and a clear goal of what they want to accomplish can be entrepreneurial and overcome what nature didn't provide.” Elliot Galdy President and Owner, AdForce, Inc.
11. “I would lean toward born. There is a very small percentage of people who have a desire to lead. If we were all born to lead, then who would follow? Then of those leaders, there is an even smaller percentage with the drive to forsake the consistency of being employed for the peaks and valleys of owning your own business.” Joseph Lockhart Lockhart Low Cost Cleaning
12. “Everyone is born an entrepreneur. All children (well, 99 percent) are naturally curious, fearless, brave, and their whole existence is about discovery, observation, and trying new things to learn about the world around them.” Sydney Morgan Diamond CFO/Controller at Sound Answering & Business SVC
13. “I have tons of great ideas from books to martial arts programs to inventions.
Right now my business is to put one of those ideas into action and ta-da, I'm an entrepreneur. It has little, if anything, to do with being born with any tendencies, or even the way we are raised. What do we want and how much do we want it? What are we willing to do to get it? There's the difference.” Michelle Moore Owner/Instructor EMPOWERED Women's Self-Defense
14. “My opinion is that success is like everything in life — it's a learnable skill. I was ‘born’ with ‘drawing talents’ but did not become a great artist because I chose not to work hard on it. However, I became an entrepreneur by first making a choice, accepting the challenges, and learning from them to get where I am today. Talent only makes it easier in the beginning, but one must want to be ‘made’ by overcoming obstacles and difficulties.” Shue Han Chou Business Development Consultant/PMO Manager at Ohana, Inc.
15. “The answer is both. You have some who develop that entrepreneurial mindset over time based upon experiences, and others who just do not like being told what to do and love to experiment with new things.” Nick Olivas Marketing Sales Representative, Loan Processor
16. “Born. Anyone can learn, adapt, find themselves in a fortunate situation but this does not change their fundamental DNA. Entrepreneurs have certain common traits, regardless of whether they find themselves self-employed or employed by others. They are not afraid to question the status quo, take risks and find excitement in improving things rather than maintaining them.” Ruth Xovox Head of Compliance and Co-Founder of DataDivider
17. “Everyone is born with a different set of traits and abilities. The determining factor is nurturing and encouragement. Do parents encourage their children to discover solutions to challenges? Do parents give positive reinforcement? Do parents let them know that all people face obstacles? Success and accomplishment is largely a matter of choice.” Leland Burton Group Benefits Specialist
18. “I have to say born. My upbringing was in a family who served the UK government at war and through peace time. Absolutely nothing about that upbringing could be seen as causative of my being entrepreneurial. One of the most common comments I got when starting businesses was, ‘Where did you get that from?’” Andrew Smith Vice President, Lightyear Wireless
19. “Those of us who have vision and see the opportunity are born entrepreneurs. The rest have to be trained and taught, or they just don't see the possibilities.” Wanda Stephenson Executive Consultant, Rodan + Fields
20. “Every blossom bud wants to bloom, but whether it turns to fruit is determined by its roots attached to the tree.” John Davis Howard Industries .
Join the Discussion: Are entrepreneurs BORN or MADE? Ask questions, share answers, and learn from your fellow entrepreneurs. Have a nice and productive week ahead!
1. “I believe I was born to be an entrepreneur. I feel as though what I do now was predestined for me long before my birth.
Let’s face it, entrepreneurship is a lot harder than it looks.
Some people just weren't born with the natural drive, motivation, persistence, dedication, and perseverance as entrepreneurs.” Brittni Abiolu Owner & Founder of CapitaLinker.com, Inc.
2. “I believe entrepreneurs are made. You are born with certain traits that will make it more of a reality: taking risks, being fanatical about achievement and success, and stopping at nothing to get it. I notice that is the one trait all successful entrepreneurs have — many times it is nothing more than perseverance that does the trick.” Faye Turner Paralegal of Law Offices of Bruce Kiselstein
3. “Some people have the gift for entrepreneurship while some people have ended up becoming entrepreneurs because of circumstances. But everyone needs to have strong work ethic and be lifelong learners, regardless of whether they have the natural gift for entrepreneurship or they have to work at it. Even someone extremely gifted like Mozart had to do a whole lot of practicing to be really good at what he did.” Nancee Marin Marketing Professional
4. “I look at an individual like a pumpkin seed. Each pumpkin seed [shares] genetic traits with its ancestral pumpkin plants. However, it is how the plant is taken care of when it is growing, where it is grown, and other environmental conditions that will determine how the pumpkin will turn out. In the same way, a person is born with certain characteristics that may make him or her more or less able to be a successful entrepreneur.” Nicholas P. van Vliet Business Development and Sales at Atlantic Trading
5. “A little of both. I'm sure that most people will adjust to whatever environment they find themselves in. If that happens to be an environment of entrepreneurial types, then there's a good chance they'll adopt entrepreneurial ways about them.” Eric Brewer BS in Business Management from WGU, Entrepreneur
6. “I would have to say born with it. Everyone is born with their own personality traits. An entrepreneur — well, let's say a SUCCESSFUL entrepreneur — must possess ambition, drive, and common sense. It's hard to teach those things.” Melody Gonzalez Human Resources Manager
7. “Crazy to say born, but some of us are born better athletes, artists, have more common sense or excel in math and science. Entrepreneurs are born and view business, projects and work differently than others. If they make it, they start again because they have to — and if they don’t, they are looking for the next chance to do it again.” John J. Mahon Strategic Payments
8. “Everything that you are is a collection of experiences. Sure a kid that is 6'6", 275 is more inclined to be a football star than the kid who is 5'5" and 150. However, not every big kid is a good football player and not every small kid is a bad one. Parents, mentors, and friends light the spark; experiences, (good and bad) provide the fuel.” Mark T. Davis Experienced Supply Chain, Transportation and Logistics Executive
9. “You either have it or you don't. Some people just want a job and be told what they need to do to make it to the next paycheck. If they feel stressed, they just get another job. If you can't juggle many balls at the same time, you don’t make the cut.” Elliott Hirsh Owner at Levis Hot Dogs
10. “It's an inherent personality trait: you're either a risk taker or you're not, so I would say ‘born.’
However, anyone with persistence, passion and a clear goal of what they want to accomplish can be entrepreneurial and overcome what nature didn't provide.” Elliot Galdy President and Owner, AdForce, Inc.
11. “I would lean toward born. There is a very small percentage of people who have a desire to lead. If we were all born to lead, then who would follow? Then of those leaders, there is an even smaller percentage with the drive to forsake the consistency of being employed for the peaks and valleys of owning your own business.” Joseph Lockhart Lockhart Low Cost Cleaning
12. “Everyone is born an entrepreneur. All children (well, 99 percent) are naturally curious, fearless, brave, and their whole existence is about discovery, observation, and trying new things to learn about the world around them.” Sydney Morgan Diamond CFO/Controller at Sound Answering & Business SVC
13. “I have tons of great ideas from books to martial arts programs to inventions.
Right now my business is to put one of those ideas into action and ta-da, I'm an entrepreneur. It has little, if anything, to do with being born with any tendencies, or even the way we are raised. What do we want and how much do we want it? What are we willing to do to get it? There's the difference.” Michelle Moore Owner/Instructor EMPOWERED Women's Self-Defense
14. “My opinion is that success is like everything in life — it's a learnable skill. I was ‘born’ with ‘drawing talents’ but did not become a great artist because I chose not to work hard on it. However, I became an entrepreneur by first making a choice, accepting the challenges, and learning from them to get where I am today. Talent only makes it easier in the beginning, but one must want to be ‘made’ by overcoming obstacles and difficulties.” Shue Han Chou Business Development Consultant/PMO Manager at Ohana, Inc.
15. “The answer is both. You have some who develop that entrepreneurial mindset over time based upon experiences, and others who just do not like being told what to do and love to experiment with new things.” Nick Olivas Marketing Sales Representative, Loan Processor
16. “Born. Anyone can learn, adapt, find themselves in a fortunate situation but this does not change their fundamental DNA. Entrepreneurs have certain common traits, regardless of whether they find themselves self-employed or employed by others. They are not afraid to question the status quo, take risks and find excitement in improving things rather than maintaining them.” Ruth Xovox Head of Compliance and Co-Founder of DataDivider
17. “Everyone is born with a different set of traits and abilities. The determining factor is nurturing and encouragement. Do parents encourage their children to discover solutions to challenges? Do parents give positive reinforcement? Do parents let them know that all people face obstacles? Success and accomplishment is largely a matter of choice.” Leland Burton Group Benefits Specialist
18. “I have to say born. My upbringing was in a family who served the UK government at war and through peace time. Absolutely nothing about that upbringing could be seen as causative of my being entrepreneurial. One of the most common comments I got when starting businesses was, ‘Where did you get that from?’” Andrew Smith Vice President, Lightyear Wireless
19. “Those of us who have vision and see the opportunity are born entrepreneurs. The rest have to be trained and taught, or they just don't see the possibilities.” Wanda Stephenson Executive Consultant, Rodan + Fields
20. “Every blossom bud wants to bloom, but whether it turns to fruit is determined by its roots attached to the tree.” John Davis Howard Industries .
Join the Discussion: Are entrepreneurs BORN or MADE? Ask questions, share answers, and learn from your fellow entrepreneurs. Have a nice and productive week ahead!
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