Home Entrepreneurship The 5 Things You Don’t Need to be a Successful Entrepreneur

The 5 Things You Don’t Need to be a Successful Entrepreneur

by Olufisayo

Becoming an entrepreneur has the potential to be very rewarding if done correctly.

Starting a business is a vital part of the “American dream” and it can be extremely lucrative in some cases. While it is difficult to become an entrepreneur, anyone can do it if they take the correct steps. You may need to possess certain qualities and have access to specific things in order to be successful as an entrepreneur.

However, there are five things that you definitely do not need in order to make it big in the business world.

Millions of Dollars

Many people mistakenly believe that they have to have access to millions of dollars in order to be successful as an entrepreneur.

While having money does make things easier, it is not required to make it big as an entrepreneur. Some of the most successful businesses in the world started out on a shoestring budget.



Sam Walton started Wal-Mart when he wasn’t wealthy. Many businesses can be started with minimal investments on the front end.

For instance, you could do business out of your home until things start to grow and then lease small business space. From there, you move up into bigger business space and continue growing.

Not every business model requires money from your own pocket to get started. If the business idea is good enough, you may be able to get some investments from angel investors or venture capitalists to help you get things started.

This will provide you with the money you need without forcing you to come up with it on your own.

Office Premises

While many successful businesses do have large offices and headquarters, you don’t necessarily need these things to be successful. Those facilities are a result of success, not a prerequisite to it. You can easily start off small and work your way up to a bigger facility. Some very successful businesses never require you to even have your own office.



Some entrepreneurs conduct everything from a home office. For example, if you sell a product, you could have it manufactured in a plant and have it shipped directly to the customer without having to take possession of it.

You could conduct advertising online and sell your products to anyone in the world. This type of business would not require you to set up a storefront or a large office space to make it work.

Large Team of Employees

Having a large team of employees to help you is also not necessary for business success. In fact, when you’re initially started in the business, having no employees may be to your advantage.

When you hire employees, you have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, workers compensation insurance, and many other items. If you don’t have employees, you can save this money and apply it to other areas of the business that need assistance.

If you’re well-versed in many different areas, you can handle everything yourself until it gets too big. At that point, you may be able to justify paying for extra help.



Another option to consider is outsourcing some of your work to freelance workers. In today’s world, you can find freelancers who will do almost anything online. Freelancers are often cheaper than hiring someone full-time because you don’t have all of the overhead costs that go with them.

This means that you can simply pay for what you need to be done instead of paying someone by the hour or by a salary and then finding work to keep them busy.

Expert Knowledge

When you want to start a business, you don’t necessarily have to be an expert in a particular field to be successful. You simply have to be willing to learn and willing to put in the work that it takes.

For example, if you are interested in starting a marketing business, you could take some marketing courses or get a degree in that area. You may also be able to learn the basics of how to market online and then offer your services to clients.

College Degree

While formal training can be beneficial, it is not required. Many entrepreneurs do not finish college or even high school. Formal education does not teach you how to be successful as an entrepreneur. As long as you have persistence and a desire to please the customer, you can be successful.



Photo by Fortune Vieyra on Unsplash

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4 comments

Sam Iso March 3, 2012 - 9:37 AM

I agree with this. It’s what I keep telling young & vibrant aspiring entrepreneurs.

Olufisayo March 3, 2012 - 9:50 AM

Thanks for the comment Sam, kindly share with others.

jovie michel June 15, 2012 - 7:43 PM

i think most young entrepreneurs like me get scared by the money aspect. its only recently that i’ve noticed that the money is not the problem. just have wisdom and get support from reliable sources…

folorunso March 3, 2012 - 5:20 PM

True …

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