You’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but you wonder if you have what it takes to succeed. Discover if you have the mindset of an entrepreneur with this assessment from the Small Business Administration. Not only will it help you evaluate your readiness, but it also will help you identify if you have the personality, characteristics and skills to go out on your own.
Related: How to Get Funding for a Business in 2026
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Have you ever worked in a business similar to what you are planning to start?
- Would people who know you say you are well-suited to be self-employed?
- Do you have support for your business idea from your family and friends?
- Have you ever taken a course or seminar on starting and managing a small business?
- Have you discussed your business idea, business plan or proposed business with a business coach or counselor, such as a faculty advisor, SCORE counselor, Small Business Development Center counselor or other economic advisor?
- Do you have a relative, friend or mentor who is an entrepreneur?
Trait Similarities of Successful Entrepreneurs
How many traits do you have?
- Persistence
- Desire for immediate feedback
- Inquisitiveness
- Strong drive to achieve
- High energy level
- Goal-oriented behavior
- Independent
- Demanding
- Self-confident
- Calculated risk taker
- Creative
- Innovative
- Vision
- Commitment
- Problem solving skills
- Tolerance for ambiguity
- Strong integrity
- Highly reliable
- Personal initiative
- Ability to consolidate resources
- Strong management and organizational skills
- Competitive
- Change agent
- Tolerance for failure
- Desire to work hard
- Luck
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2010 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.
