The 6 different types of entrepreneurs: Which one are you? (+ free types of entrepreneurship pdf)
Which of the 6 types of entrepreneurs are you? Here’s how to find out!
At some point, you’ve probably heard someone say it takes a certain types of person to become an entrepreneur.
Maybe you’ve heard it a few times. Hey, it’s quite possible because it’s one of the most overused thrown-around-without-any-real-meaning phrases that new and aspiring entrepreneurs have the pleasure of hearing.
The thing is, those who share this wisdom with you aren’t entirely wrong. They’re not entirely right, either, and the reason why will become super clear in a way you won’t be able (or want) to ignore soon.
But first, let’s get back to why they’re (kind of) right. Ask anyone who’s been there and they’ll tell you that starting a business – and, more importantly – sustaining a business isn’t for everyone.
As rewarding as it is, becoming a successful entrepreneur takes dedication, direction and a whole lot of sacrifice. Not everybody is cut out for that (and that’s totally okay – we’re all different!).
But, since you’re here, I’m guessing you consider yourself to be cut from the cloth of entrepreneurial potential. Or at least you’re crossing your fingers and hoping you are. But the fact that you’ve somehow landed on this page tells me you are.
Okay, so that’s the first piece of good news. (Yes, there will be more, and it will be even better – promise!)
Common entrepreneur characteristics
Now, let’s dive a little deeper and look at what the entrepreneur type preachers are probably talking about. It’s impossible to deny one thing: while entrepreneurs come in all shapes and size, successful entrepreneurs tend to have certain traits in common.
From social entrepreneurship and philanthropic pursuits, to scalable startups and Silicon Valley superstars, it’s not hard to spot some very obvious similarities and distinct personality traits between those who decide to leap into an entrepreneurial career.
These are the common themes among entrepreneur types:
#1 They have lots of new ideas
The best entrepreneurs don’t always have the best products. More likely, they have innovative ideas that help them find new ways of doing things and find innovative solutions to common problems.
#2 They spot new opportunities
Entrepreneurs may not always make the right decisions, but that doesn’t stop them jumping on new opportunities. They allow themselves to have bold ideas, dream up new products because they want to make a big impact.
#3 They have a lot of self-confidence
Whether it’s in their ideas or simply in themselves, entrepreneurs need a certain level of confidence to keep going when faced with adversity.
#4 They know how much risk they are willing to take on
Boundaries are crucial if you want to be a successful entrepreneur. From financial risk to risking the way people view you, you need to know where your limit is.
#5 They have an entrepreneurial mindset
Long gone are the days when having an MBA was a prerequisite to business success. And while there are plenty of more accessible business courses out there now, nothing is more important for aspiring entrepreneurs than having the right mindset.
#6 They learn to think like an entrepreneur
How? By studying the habits and stories of the faces behind successful businesses. And we’re not just talking about Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
While such entrepreneurs have fascinating stories of growing their large companies, there are plenty of lesser known innovative entrepreneurs with a story to share.
#7 They do the hard work
There’s no getting away from the fact that, if you want to be successful, you need to do the work! It’s not enough to have an idea – there are lot of other steps to bring it to market.
Your product or service won’t create or sell itself, but entrepreneurs have the perseverance to pursue their vision even when it gets tough.
Did you recognise yourself in any of these? Maybe. Maybe not.
If you didn’t, then don’t worry – you’re not doomed to fail. You just have the luxury of getting to ignore all the traditional business advice because you were clearly born to carve your own path of greatness. And that could mean you’re simply destined for even greater things.
If you did spot yourself in any of these, congratulations. You’re just as likely to succeed in the wild world of entrepreneurship because what it really comes down to is something a little more nuanced…
Enter: the types of entrepreneur personalities.
Types of entrepreneurs
Okay, now it’s about to get good. Make sure you’re paying attention for this part because this is something that most traditional entrepreneurial education fails to teach.
While almost all entrepreneurs have at least some of the above traits in common, the similarities don’t go much further. After all, every business is different, so why wouldn’t the people behind each business be completely different?
We all bring our unique experiences, ideas and ways of thinking to the table. That means that no two entrepreneurs conduct business in exactly the same way – and that’s what makes it fun!
Understanding entrepreneur personality types
Isn’t it fun how much variety there is in the world? How every person could be given the same starter business but turn it into something completely different?
As exciting as that is, though, there are clearly defined different types of entrepreneur personality. That may sound less fun now that we got all excited about our differences, but don’t worry – this is a good thing. In fact, it could be the biggest game-changer for your business to date.
I told you you’re going to want to focus here, didn’t I?
Every business owner falls into one of the 6 different types of entrepreneurs. Similar to the Myers-Briggs personality types, but specific to entrepreneurship, this entrepreneur personality type can tell you a lot about how you handle common business scenarios.
Unlike the MBTI, though, there are only 6 types of entrepreneurs (rather than 16 types!). And, while no type is better suited to entrepreneurship – and you certainly don’t need to be an ‘entrepreneur’ type according to Myers-Briggs – each of these types of entrepreneurs takes a very different approach to building a business.
It’s not about what type of entrepreneurship you undertake, either. Each of the types of entrepreneurs can be equally successful at different types or business. Rather than telling you what to do in building your business, it can guide you in how to run the show to suit your own natural skills and partialities.
Your entrepreneur personality type is 100% focused on YOU.
Since you’re unique to your business – and the one thing that no other business can have – knowing your entrepreneur personality type can give you an advantage. Knowledge is power, after all.
By understanding which of the 6 types of entrepreneurs you are, you’ll be much more aware of where you should focus your attention, what you may need to outside help with and which approach you should take when it’s decision time in your business ventures.
And that also means that, if you’re a serial entrepreneur who runs multiple businesses – woohoo, go you! – you can apply this super useful information across all of them.
Does it matter what type of entrepreneur you are?
TL;DR: yes. Yes, it does matter.
It matters a lot, actually. Self-awareness is one of the most underrated traits in becoming a successful entrepreneur – but also one of the most crucial if you really want to reach your potential.
If you learn one thing when building your business, make it this. Knowing which of the types of entrepreneurs you are won’t just help you lean into your unique superpowers. It will also save you endless hours stressing over the part of entrepreneurship you really, really don’t love (and I know you’re already thinking about what that is.)
Are you excited about this? You should be!
Think about it: in order to stay focused on your main goal, have a competitive edge and take risks with any chance of success, you need to be fully aware about who you are, what you do and where you fit in within your industry.
These are the kind of things you might already think about, especially when launching a new business, and that’s great! Awesome job!
But you can take that one step further by learning about what kind of entrepreneur you are. No matter how hands on or hands off you are as a business owner, your own entrepreneur personality will have a large impact on your business. And, since you play such a large part in your business, it’s kind of a big deal.
Getting to know more about how you work and what makes you tick (or say ‘ick!’) can give you an advantage that most business owners overlook. And who doesn’t want an easy competitive edge when it’s handed to them on plate? I thought as much.
So, let’s find out which of the 6 types of entrepreneurs you are, shall we?
Different types of entrepreneurs quiz
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the fun part of this article!
Now, you get to find out which of the 6 types of entrepreneurs you are. And, more importantly, you can start using this new knowledge to shape your business no matter why type of venture you’re running.
Take the short quiz below to find out which of the entrepreneur types you are now:
Get forget your free guide to the 6 Types of Entrepreneurs PDF!
Do you know what kind of entrepreneur you are now? Did it surprise you at all? Or was it exactly what you expected?
Even though most of us know – at least deep down – what our areas of greatness and challenges are, sometimes a reminder helps our refocus and start being more mindful in our entrepreneurial activity.
The great thing about knowing your entrepreneur type is that it can be applied to all different types of entrepreneurship. As well as being able to plan your time and tasks around what works for you, knowing yourself can also make it easier know what kind of people you need more of in your life (hint: it’s the other types of entrepreneurs!).
Whether you’re at the start-up stage, run multiple small businesses, or have a larger company, I hope this insight has given you a different way to approach decision making, future planning and day to day project management.
Hey, you can even use this new knowledge when pitching to angel investors, dealing with family members, or any other situation that would benefit from a little bit of extra self-awareness.
Hopefully you downloaded your free PDF guide to the entrepreneur types. If you didn’t, you’ll find the link to your free Types of Entrepreneurs PDF download on the results page of the quiz above – easy!
Inside, you’ll find more details on your entrepreneur personality type, including your greatest strengths, areas for improvement and how to approach each of these. You’ll also find your core values, plus some values that you might want to consider introducing into your work.
You’ll also find a worksheet on the final page that you can use to action everything you’ve just learned. After all, it’s nice to gain some fun insights into your personality type, but it’s not much use without an action plan. That’s why I’ve got your covered on that part, too.
Once you’ve had a read through the 6 Types of Entrepreneurs PDF guide – and completed the worksheet at the back – come and share your type in our free Facebook community and see how your results compare to other community members.