Becoming an entrepreneur is one of the most exciting things a person can do.  The thrill of going it on your own, of making your dream come to life and living your passion is an unparalleled experience.  It is a wonderful adrenaline rush of the feelings of being confident, joyous, excited, making a difference, feeling invincible and completely vulnerable all at once.

A common reason people become entrepreneurs is that they have a drive and passion for a specific product or service and want to share it with the masses.  They often have experience with that product or service and a genuine interest in providing it with added value, benefiting more people, and hopefully earn a substantial income.

Entrepreneurs are passionate people and that passion is felt by everyone who interacts with them.  Being able to harness the passion into a successful business starts with not only knowing what you are selling but also knowing why you are selling it.  If you are passionate about health and fitness, being able to articulate WHY you are so passionate is a very powerful way to get business.   It is often referred to as your “Why Statement” (why are you in business).

The next step is to develop a “Who Statement”.  The Who Statement is about knowing specifically WHO your product and service will benefit the most, and WHO you are as a business owner.   Understanding everything about your ideal client is crucial.  Are your clients in a specific age or gender?  Do they live in a certain area of town?  Are they internet users?  Are they interested in having a transactional or ongoing relationship?  Do your clients have a specific amount of experience, education or income?  Who do your clients associate with?

For you as the entrepreneur, understanding who you are is crucial as well.  Who do you want to be for your clients – the expert, the consultant, the collaborator, the supplier, the go to person, etc?  Who will you become as a successful entrepreneur – happier, more astute, more knowledgeable, more giving, less stressed, more focused, more engaged with family, friends, the community, etc?

From my experience coaching many successful people, entrepreneurs with a solid “Why Statement” and “Who Statement” are more successful, more joyful and have a greater impact with their business.  Having Why and Who Statements provide the opportunity for perfect alignment between entrepreneur (supplier) and client (customer).  And when there is perfect alignment, it is a win-win for everyone involved.

Long gone are the days where a person looks at retiring from the same company they started working strait out of college.  Today’s professionals are working for a company 3-5 years on average.  As professionals move from company to company they are developing a host of transferrable skills – including business management, marketing and sales on top of their specific discipline skills and expertise.  People are wearing more hats in any given day then back in the day when if you were an engineer, administrative assistant, financial analyst, or book keeper and that is all you did.

This wearing of many hats has allowed people to gain confidence in their ability to go independent.  People are recognizing that they have developed transferrable skills when changing from job to job, learning new policies and procedures, navigating through new and different political climates and with every change, lessening the learning curve. These same people are seeking a balanced life that includes not only working but being with family and friends and doing something that has a bigger impact than just some big company’s bottom line.  Simply stated people want fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.

And that is when it happens…you realize that you are not fulfilled by what you do eight hours a day, five days a week, 50 weeks a year.  It is when you know in your heart of hearts that you have more to offer the world than working your way up through the cubicle ranks to an advanced super cube and retire at the senior rank of an office with a door.  When you know that you can use all of those years of experience, at different companies to do something you love.

Stop and think about it, how many times has it crossed your mind to break out of the corporate grind and run with the idea of the new product or service that is just simply lacking in today’s market place?  I assure you that as many times as it has crossed your mind, it has likely crossed the mind of your neighbor, friends, family members and everyone else who is not getting everything out of their career that they once had hoped.

The truth is that people who are attracted to breaking out on their own are simply looking for more in life. And the other truth is that people who are successful as entrepreneurs will utilize their internal AND external skills and resources to make it work.  These people are no longer easily identified as never having worked in the corporate environment.  Many individuals who have been in the corporate environment are now discovering they have the attributes to be successful as an entrepreneur and are going for it.

The corporate entrepreneur is an individual who is navigating their way out of the corporate job by stretching, growing and sacrificing hours today for freedom and fulfillment today and tomorrow, when they are truly living their passion.

The corporate entrepreneur is working their day job AND running a “side business” that they are excited about and that brings them joy. They are doing double duty to gain the fulfillment from the side business to sustain them through the daily grind in their corporate job.  They are wearing many hats and working long hours for two employers (themselves and a company).  They are challenged with shifting from tactical to strategic approaches.  They are utilizing skills that come naturally and skills that have not been fully sharpened yet.  They are driven and dedicated and likely need support to manage all that is required to go after their dream.

If you are in a corporate job and thinking there is more that you want to do with your career and life, review the attributes of successful entrepreneurs listed below.

Attributes of the Entrepreneur

• Determined
• Communicative
• Self motivated
• Purposeful
• Focused
• A natural leader
• Balanced
• Curious
• Empathetic
• Optimistic

If you have many or all of these attributes and you are thinking that now is the time to make your move, here are a few tips to start moving in the right direction:

1. Talk with you support network, friends and family and share your passion with them
2. Talk with entrepreneurs who have already achieved success in the new venture you are attracted to
3. Hire a business coach that can assist you in accelerating your progress and reaching your goal.

The corporate entrepreneur is one who is going after their passion in a smart and well thought out manner of transitioning out of the corporate chains into freedom and fulfillment.