Entrepreneurial culture has taken the world by storm. Successful entrepreneurs are emerging not only from the families of entrepreneurs but also from other big to small households where no one knew what entrepreneurship even means.
In the past, we have seen that some of the most successful people who have impacted the world are entrepreneurs. Are they a different breed of people? Absolutely not! If we really try to dig deep and actually see, there are kids around us who show signs of entrepreneurship. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to raise a successful entrepreneur.
Kids are the future of our family, society, country, and the whole human race. Our academic curriculums generally equip kids with the knowledge required for conventional jobs like doctors and engineers. As a result, kids with the potential to be an entrepreneur miss out. So, as a guardian, it is up to us to provide a suitable environment and encouragement so that they grow up to be the innovative leaders that they are meant to be.
Identifying the signs of entrepreneurship can be confusing. So, in this article, we have prepared a list of 15 signs that indicates a young entrepreneurial mind.
1. Interest In Making Their Own Money
The kids who try to make money by selling their work show that they have an entrepreneurial mindset. Children who like to open lemonade stands, sell their projects or buy things and sell them off profit is a great sign that they are destined to be an entrepreneur.
In fact, hustling at a young age is a common trait amongst a lot of successful entrepreneurs. At the age of 12, Mark Cuban used to sell trash bags in his neighborhood. Warren Buffet used to sell gums to his neighbors when he was 6. There are many other successful entrepreneurs like Richard Branson, Juliette Brindak who had an interest in earning their own money from their childhood.
2. Creative
Entrepreneurs are creative people who think of creative ideas to solve problems. Kids who generally excel in creative areas like art, music, dance, etc. are likely to be good entrepreneurs as they bring to the table their individualities and creative approach to solving a problem which is a much-needed ingredient in the recipe of making an entrepreneur.
3. Always Curious
“Curiosity leads to questions, and questions lead to answers. Those answers lead to a deeper understanding of the world around you and the opportunity to solve problems you wouldn’t even have known existed otherwise.”
Women on Business
The kids who are curious have a habit of questioning a lot and challenging the status quo. They want to know how and why things are as they are. This curiosity leads to innovation and that is what entrepreneurs do – they innovate. Having this quality is a good sign that the kid is an entrepreneur in the making.
4. Never Afraid To Stand Out
These are the kids who don’t want to be another sheep in the herd. They want to question things and do what others aren’t doing. They want to explore new things and aren’t afraid to try new ideas. They are the ones whose projects are the most unique, stand up to do a job when no one does, aren’t afraid to walk alone and make their own choices.
5. A Big Dreamer
“I think if you are an entrepreneur, you’ve got to dream big and then dream bigger”
Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks)
The kids who have dared to dream big are the ones who will make it. If little Timmy says he is going to build a multimillion-dollar company, he has already taken his first step towards doing so. Many multimillion-dollar companies nowadays are led by none other than those little Timmies who dared to dream big.
6. Never Taking “No” For An Answer
The kids who have the mindset of never taking “No” for an answer and don’t stop getting back when they fall, is a great sign that those kids are going to make it big as an entrepreneur.
Persistency is crucial for an entrepreneur. The journey to be a successful entrepreneur is bound to have setbacks but not faltering from these setbacks is a good sign that kids with this quality are going to be good entrepreneurs.
7. A Problem Solver
Ever since the birth of a child, they can observe problems around them. Kids who try to fix those problems show that they have an interest in problem-solving and that is what entrepreneurs do – solve problems. A kid may or may not be able to solve problems from an early age, but that drive to solve problems is going to take him to new heights and this is the indicator of an entrepreneurial mindset.
8. Habit Of Saving
Kids at a young age have a tendency to not care about saving. They would rather spend whatever they have than save it. If a child has the habit of filling their piggy bank and saving for later, it is a good indicator that they know the value of money and can accumulate wealth. In fact, many successful entrepreneurs like Warren Buffet are penny pinchers.
9. Getting Things Done
Kids who have the habit of getting things done rather than making excuses or procrastinating are a good predicting factor that they have an entrepreneurial mindset. They are the kids who do their assignments regularly, who don’t make excuses to go to sports classes, and are consistent in whatever they do.
The habit of “Doing Things Now” is a valuable asset for any entrepreneur.
10. Keen Interest In Reading Books
Many entrepreneurs share this common habit of reading. Reading books not only improves writing and reading skills but also encourages kids to think critically Critical thinking is necessary for running a business and interest to learn books from an early age is a good indicator of a bright future for that child. So, don’t underestimate that bookworm who is always hanging around in the library.
11. They Learn From Failures
Failures are your biggest teachers. This is especially true for an entrepreneur. There are very few entrepreneurs who have succeeded in their first venture. However, learning from their failure is what makes entrepreneurs successful.
Showing this attitude at a young age is a pretty good indicator of entrepreneurship in a kid.
12. Risk-Takers
Risk-taking is an undeniable truth for an entrepreneur. However, taking risks doesn’t mean seeking risks. Kids taking calculated risks in order to satisfy their curious minds is a good sign. The kid who wants to try and climb a tree, the kid who wants to try that bigger slide or the kid who wants to try a new skateboard trick. All these kids are examples of risk-takers who want to take risks and grow.
13. Take Leadership Roles
Kids who are ready to take leadership roles like the kids who are the leaders of their science project group, captain of the sports team, or show leadership qualities in any other areas are bound to be big leaders in the future. They have the capability to make people work while keeping them motivated. This is a good sign of entrepreneurship in kids as entrepreneurs have the same job of motivating and leading a team to reach a goal.
14. Self-motivation
Handling failures and being self-motivated to constantly improve is a good indication of an entrepreneurial mindset in kids.
15. Focus
There are a lot of distractions in a kid’s surroundings, like a toy, mobile phones, that new pack of UNO cards that uncle brought, or that beautiful barbie doll that aunty brought. Despite the distractions, if kids can focus on their goals and make things happen, it is a sign of entrepreneurship. The kids who don’t lose their focus until they finish their painting, finish building their lego tower, finish doing their assignments or any other work are likely to succeed. Focusing and finding solutions to problems is a crucial quality to have for an entrepreneur.
Conclusion
Kids with these qualities can be successful entrepreneurs if they are given proper mentorship and a good environment. Among these kids is the next Elon Musk, the next Mark Zuckerberg, or the next Jeff Bezos.
As a guardian of these kids, it is our responsibility to help these young buds to unlock their full potential and bloom into successful entrepreneurs.