Entrepreneur are mostly associated with words like innovative, creative, persistence, leader any many more. While it’s true that all entrepreneurs have these common traits in them. But there different kinds of entrepreneurs as not everyone is not wired the same way based on research of Joe Abraham,author of Entrepreneurial DNA and founder of BOSI Global, an operating partner to venture-backed and owner-operated companies. The book is based on Joe’s study of over 1000 entrepreneurs and suggests that they fall in four distinct types that leverage unique strengths, weaknesses and tendencies typical in each specific type of entrepreneur:
1- The Builder.
You are driven by building your business highly scalable very fast. When this DNA is high in entrepreneurs, they break past $5 million revenue to $100 million within a short span of 4-5 years. They are not just happy by their personal income or goodwill of the company. They always tend to keep growing and never stop.
2- The Opportunist.
The name itself gives a pretty clear idea about this DNA. Sir Richard Branson is a perfect example. People with opportunist DNA love marketing and selling. They tend to measure success by amount of money. They are highly optimistic promoters as well. They always look for opportunity and when they detect one, they jump in at the right time to leverage and create new residual and renewal income.
3- The Specialist.
Picture Bill Gates and you have a clear idea of this DNA. Staying in one industry and capturing it completely. Specialist DNA drives one to be very analytical, relatively risk-averse and anti-selling. Specialists generate most of their new business from referrals and networking. They often tend to measure success by their own income.
4- The Innovator.
Innovator are the ones who love to keep themselves in a “lab” of business rather than managing the business. They like to create new products and invent,design and tinker. They tend to measure the success by the impact of their product to the world. Picture Mark Zuckerberg in Social Network and you will see an innovator DNA at work.
There is notion that what worked for one entrepreneur will work for another one which is absolutely false. Different kinds of entrepreneurs have different approach. If it worked for Bill Gates (Specialist-Builder) or Richard Branson (Opportunist-Builder) doesn’t mean it will work for you too!
What kind of entrepreneur are you? To know your DNA go to BOSI DNA and share your results and thoughts in the comments below.
-Vatsal Doshi
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