[ibimage==34325==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
A lot of romanticism has developed around the idea of having ‘co-founder’ below your name in an email signature. But starting a business is, as the word entrepreneur entails, only the start of something. And the path to success, if it ever comes, will inevitably throw a few blows at your professional ego. Do you have what it takes?
Charles Thornburgh, CEO of Civitas Learning, Stuart Rench, President at ihiji, and Jonathan Placa, CEO and founder of ProtoExchange shared their thoughts on what they think are the most crucial skills every tech entrepreneur must have.
[ibimage==34314==Small==none==self==ibimage_align-left]
Endurance
It may seem obvious, but it’s harder in practice. It’s what Rench (pictured left) refers to as “stubbornness about your vision.” It takes time to strike a balance between filtering the right feedback to take on, and also having faith in you and your idea. “It’s a roller-coaster," Rench added. “There are a lot of high points and low-points and that strength of vision is what gets you through.”
Thornburgh said he’s always looking for strivers, what he says are those who see the relationship between effort and reward. He often used an athletic metaphor when describing his team. Train like one, and when you succeed, be humble, and keep growing.
Communication
Each executive stressed the importance of communication as leaders, and as a quality they seek in new talent. Placa detailed the often-overlooked receiving end of communication: listening. He said, “Listen to your customers and critics, as they’re clear indicators of what’s working (and what’s not).”
Thornburgh echoed Placa’s sentiment, “The ability to communicate a vision is what leading is to me. You’re only as good as the people you’ve selected to share that vision.”
[ibimage==34315==Small==none==self==ibimage_align-right]
Adaptability
Thornburgh (pictured right) and Rench both made a point of how significant adaptability played in their growth as entrepreneurs, and how their ability to recognize it in others represented a shift in their business’ success.
“Be someone who thrives on change," Rench said.
When talking about personal hurdles, Thornburgh mentioned, “We learn most effectively when we’re pushed just outside our comfort zone. If things got too easy, I’d be sure I was doing something wrong.”
Organization
It's not surprising that Placa — an engineer — loves structure. Organization was second on his list. “An organized business will help save a bunch of headaches. How do you process payroll? Are you recording how much you pay contractors for 1099s? Are you a registered entity in the state that you're operating in? How do you handle customer requests? These are all questions that we had to answer and being organized helps make answering these questions easier.”
Honesty and Humility
It’s about being honest with yourself. Find a professional you trust, and know when and what to boast about, and when to look at what’s not working. The ability to take on what may hurt to hear is all about humility, and if you have the endurance, it’ll make you stronger.
Teflon-like Skin
Weighing criticism is a huge part of professional and personal growth. “All criticism should be considered, but it shouldn’t affect you during your daily routine,” Placa said.
Thornburgh went a step further by adding, “You’ve got to find comfort in discomfort and force yourself to continually learn.”
[ibimage==34316==Small==none==self==ibimage_align-left]
Great Co-founders
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy alone. It challenges you and your professional abilities. “Having a team to support you when you’re struggling is imperative,” Placa (pictured left) confessed.
Passion
Rench changed my perception of this often over-used buzzword when he explained that he was always looking for talent that was “passionate about something in their life.” It didn’t even have to be the job, but “knowing what someone’s been through and what they’re passionate about is a great indicator of who they are.”
Leverage Your Network
When ihiji moved from Florida to Austin, Rench lamented the loss of his professional network, and found that part of growing in Austin was about “taking as many coffees as you can. Everyone’s willing to help you. There’s less of an every-man-for-himself attitude here.”
Curiosity
It’s what Placa described as having “an investigative mindset”, and Thornburgh echoed by describing how important it was to “find the right tools to facilitate goal setting” and develop new technical skills to grow when the business does.
Placa continued, “Entrepreneurs should act as private investigators, questioning their potential users. Proper entrepreneurs will connect the dots in terms of feedback and develop a product that their users need.”
Have a tip for us or know of a company that deserves coverage? Email us via [email protected]
