Chapter 18,
Entrepreneur DNA,
Knowledge is Power Only When Implemented,
Harish Kumar.
This past summer,
I learned that there are different types of entrepreneurs from the book Entrepreneurial DNA by Joe Abraham.
It's a book that talks about the four different types of entrepreneurs,
Which helped me realize that entrepreneurs are not all the same.
There are four different categories,
And it's useless to compare myself with some types of entrepreneurs if I have a different entrepreneurial DNA.
I did a free bossy assessment questionnaire to find out the kind of entrepreneur I am.
I highly recommend it.
The way it works is this.
There's your main DNA style,
And then a secondary DNA style.
This test gave me so much clarity about what drives me and how I've been as an entrepreneur all of these years.
Since I now know the type of entrepreneur I am,
I can easily spot out my entrepreneurial friends and the type of DNA that they have.
Knowing this has immensely helped me to understand them more while also accepting myself more.
It talks about how some entrepreneurs start massive empires,
Whereas other entrepreneurs don't want that at all.
Some don't even want money because they just follow a cause that is meaningful to them.
As entrepreneurs,
Why are we all defined as the same then when there are such different qualities for each one?
I realize now that we can't all be put in that same box.
There are four quadrants.
Top left is the builder,
Top right is opportunist,
Bottom left is specialist,
And the bottom right is innovator.
My primary DNA style is specialist.
Specialist DNA style are those who have been in the same job for 10 or 20 years.
People think of them as the specialist,
And they seek them out.
They like being a specialist,
And they tend to have small companies with a few employees and are very happy and passionate about what they do.
I used to be hard on myself because sometimes I think that I should be this huge entrepreneur with a big company,
But that's not even my entrepreneurial DNA.
My secondary DNA style is an opportunist.
I am balanced in the upper and lower quadrants,
Which is a nice mix.
An opportunist DNA means I see potential in new opportunities.
I'm excited about projects,
And I love to try out new endeavors.
This has helped me to understand why I have jumped at some opportunities faster than other people,
Because that's just the kind of person I am.
It's in my DNA.
My partner,
Stefan,
Is an innovator.
Innovators are these brilliant minds who have something that they want to bring to the world,
And their main purpose is not necessarily profit.
It's rather how they can contribute and give back to the world,
And this is why he began an online magazine called Mindset Entrepreneur Magazine,
Highlighting different entrepreneurs.
Through knowing his DNA style,
I could better accept his calling instead of me trying to influence it.
When I first met him,
I saw so many opportunities for him and so much potential for him.
This is precisely the power of bringing two different entrepreneurs together.
It's important to know your complementary partnerships.
Some entrepreneurial DNA styles are designed to never work together,
While other combinations create huge companies.
Two business partners that are innovators will come together and talk about their company and have amazing ideas,
But it may not actually reach the market.
It may not have the impact that it could have if a builder or opportunist didn't collaborate together with the innovator and help bring that idea to the world.
That is why it's so vital to know our DNA style,
And then secondly,
The best business partner to reach out to and to collaborate with.
This will ensure you are able to reach your potential as an entrepreneur.
I no longer need to be hard on myself.
I need to rather accept my strengths and weaknesses and learn how I can work with them.
The longer I'm in business,
The more I realize the importance of needing a team to reach my bigger goals.
It might be slower,
But you can go a lot farther.
I've worked hard for 10 years doing everything alone as a specialist.
Finally,
I am now realizing that my success depends on the team that I have built and the goals and collective energy we have together.
It's not about finding a team of specialists just like me,
But it's about attracting and finding a diverse team of builders,
Innovators,
Opportunists,
And specialists that come together so they each focus on their own core and natural gifts.
One Minute Millionaire talks about the best teams to form and the different types of personalities that need to come together.
If everyone on the team is super enthusiastic for a project and jump at any opportunity,
Then they may not see potential future risks.
Therefore,
You need that person who is not as enthusiastic and very conservative to bring up differing risk factors and how the project could fail.
These people on your team are just as essential to the group as any other super enthusiastic member.
I think that the more we know who we are as entrepreneurs and the more we understand the different types of personalities and qualities that we have,
The better is to accept others and see the importance of those skills in a group setting.
I'm very grateful for knowing about this and being able to go and find the best team that complements me to help me reach my goals.
How well do you understand the kinds of team members that you need?
Do you know the specific DNA type your team is missing?
