10 Reasons Entrepreneurs are Lifelong Learners
Being an entrepreneur is hard work and takes a lot of growth personally and professionally to reach success for a new business. As an incubator for entrepreneurs to start and grow their business, we know one of the most important qualities for our startups to have is the motivation and willingness to learn in order to reach success.
Here are some reasons why the Innovation Cluster’s entrepreneurs are lifelong learners.
Our Entrepreneurs. . .
1: Never Miss An Opportunity
Always wanting to grow their knowledge, entrepreneurs seize every moment of their day and keep their eyes open for what event may be an opportunity where the average person may not notice. For example, when meeting a stranger, entrepreneurs don’t just introduce themselves, they use it as a chance to network with a new person. Meeting someone in a career like theirs could help their business further on, and if the person lives a completely different lifestyle, it’s seen as an opportunity to learn about new topics.
At the Innovation Cluster, we know how important it is to network, so we host events like E-Connect for the community to learn about the small businesses around them and so entrepreneurs can make connections with new locals.
2: Know the Benefits of Teamwork
Entrepreneurs work well independently as they are creative sorts, but understand what scales a business upwards most is efficient teamwork. Collaborating with people who have different visions, experiences and knowledge will create a business that provides the best for consumers, and that is exactly what an entrepreneur strives for.
Inside of the Cluster’s incubator The Cube, startups get to work side-by-side with other companies, and find it beneficial to learn from one another when another company has recently solved that bump in the road they are encountering.
3: Use Modern Technology to Their Highest Potential
You’ve likely heard the saying, “We have the world of information at our fingertips on the internet but instead we spend our time watching videos of cats.” Well not entrepreneurs! Technology is the biggest advantage for people trying to start their business in today’s world. When it comes to self-learning, it has never been easier! Entrepreneurs have a lot on their plate and know just how much the internet can help.
The Innovation Cluster is technology-based innovation, so you would see most of our client’s using computer, manufacturing and VR technology on a regular basis, researching how to advance these products and use them to their company’s benefit.
Getting @OCEinnovation Discovery started off right with some #VR artwork! ⚡️ #OCEdiscovery #innovation #tech pic.twitter.com/dzEGNtu6mM
— Innovation Cluster (@InnovationPtbo) May 15, 2017
4: Use Personal Time to Grow Knowledge in New Things
Entrepreneurs don’t only use technology to their advantage, they utilize any spare time they have in a day. Everyone has spare time, even if it is “wasted” on the long drive to work, waiting in a doctor’s office, or watching your food cook. Entrepreneurs motivate themselves by knowing the benefits of good time management, both for themselves and the future of their business! They get creative by listening to informative podcasts while driving, reading a page of a book they carry around when they are stuck waiting in line, or get inspired by their surroundings, whether people they talk to or an article shared online.
We never hear our entrepreneurs sitting around saying they are bored. They are constantly thinking on how they can be better in every aspect of their life each day. In The Cube our Innovation Specialists are always meeting with company’s to ensure they are staying on the right path of being motivated and using their time to stand out from other businesses.
5: Accept Criticism and Use it to Grow
After working hard on a project then have someone say it needs work, or maybe even a huge re-do, it can be hard to change perspective to see it in a new light. But honestly, good criticism can take a business a long way. Entrepreneurs recognize failure as another word for try again.
“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill
An entrepreneur can’t fully make it on their own without some support in growing a business. Being a startup in an incubator like The Cube provides workshops such as a Path to Building a Successful Business, where entrepreneurs are challenged to consider each section of their business model canvas and make sure they are setting the right foundation for their business to successfully grow.
Our awesome clients are learning all about #digitalmarketing & #socialmedia today! 📱 #innovation #entrepreneur pic.twitter.com/ubVrUUlKqW
— Innovation Cluster (@InnovationPtbo) May 30, 2017
6: Want to Learn More Than the “Bare Minimum”
Independent entrepreneurs may go by the title Founder, CEO, or President when first starting out, but reality is they cover all positions when first starting their own business. There’s operations, finance, marketing, communications, manufacturing, and they must understand it all. It sounds overwhelming, but what makes a true entrepreneur is the willingness to learn new things outside of their comfort zone.
In an incubator like The Cube, startups have resources and tools to learn the basics of each section of growing a business, but at the end of the day it is up to them to lift the bar higher to execute those resources and succeed in every section of their business.
7: Enjoy a Good Challenge
No one enters the life of an entrepreneur who wants the same routine everyday. Each event brings a new problem they need to solve, some harder than others. As these entrepreneurs face these challenges, they learn how to overcome the problem and in return their knowledge, experience and business get stronger because of facing those challenges head on.
The Innovation Cluster provides workshops called Hands-ON that feature topics for entrepreneurs to conquer challenges and overall be successful. For example, our most recent workshop was “How To Be Happy” as an entrepreneur, hosted by knowledge partner Inclusive Advisory.
Hosting our Hands-ON workshop with Dr. Michael Konopaski about the road to #happiness for #entrepreneurs! 😎 pic.twitter.com/s7fyLoacmS
— Innovation Cluster (@InnovationPtbo) May 31, 2017
8: Remove the Barrier Between Their Professional and Personal Life
In today’s society, people tend to focus more on either their professional or personal life, often struggling to find a happy balance between both. Entrepreneurs start out on the right path to finding a balance as they are creating a business which they are passionate about and have their own voice and schedule. By choosing this lifestyle, they give themselves more opportunity to thrive in both aspects and open up doors for more learning as they don’t feel trapped in one section of their life.
9: Are Coachable
Entrepreneurs have every opportunity to seek out experienced and established business professionals in all aspects of the working world to take note of their success and learn.
At the Innovation Cluster, we have an abundance of connections to knowledge partners that are eager to help startups grow their business and find their best path to market. A range of knowledge from the partners are available to our clients whenever they have questions or concerns, and know how important it is to seek help rather than go alone off assumptions.
10: Know if They Aren’t Getting Better, They’re Getting Worse
In a world of competition and used-up ideas, entrepreneurs need to stay on their toes and take inspiration from the abundance of businesses and advancements around them to better their own creations. The world is advancing fast, and it’s not waiting for entrepreneurs to catch up.
It might seem like every idea has been used, but here at the Innovation Cluster, we believe ideas can always be turned into greater ideas, and our entrepreneurs have that mindset too. We have clients advancing the food, clothing, tech, healthcare industry and beyond.
At the Innovation Cluster, the possibilities are endless!