Step 1. Do I Have What It Takes?

 

Dick works for a multinational corporation as a software engineer. He has a wife, Jane, a son, Josh, a daughter, Emma, a dog, Spot and a cat, Sparkles. Dick makes $75,000 a year in his job and Jane makes $50,000. Even though they are only in their mid-thirties they have done well for themselves, having a mortgage and a car loan but no other debt.

 

Dick is feeling suffocated by his job. He can’t make the improvements he wants because he runs into his company’s massive bureaucracy. Changing things takes forever, even if the changes make sense for the company. He has an idea for a software product that would fill a niche that his company thinks is too small to be profitable. A couple of his co-workers would be willing to join him in a startup but they are waiting for him to make the decision. While Dick would love to be his own boss and call the shots he is concerned about giving up his secure job with benefits and his 4 weeks of vacation.

 

Dick decides to take a test to determine if he has the right personality and attributes to be successful as an entrepreneur. Through his research, Dick discovers that successful entrepreneurs seem to have the following attributes.

 

1. A propensity to take risks
2. A need for achievement
3. A belief in one’s ability to control the outcome of a situation
4. A tolerance of uncertainty
5. Self-confidence
6. Innovativeness
7. A need for autonomy

 

A propensity to take risks	Average
A need for achievement	Above Average
A belief in one’s ability to control the outcome of a situation	Average
A tolerance of uncertainty	Above Average
Self-confidence	Below Average
Innovativeness	Above Average

 

Dick knows that no internet quiz is capable of determining his success as an entrepreneur but he is encouraged by the results. He feels that he can overcome his weaknesses and this encourages him to move on the the next step, testing his idea.

 

Click here to move on to step 2