Entrepreneur Quiz: Is Starting a Business Right for You?


Entrepreneur personality to start a business

Do you have an entrepreneur personality? Do you have the right mindset and leadership style?  This personality quiz helps you see how well you fit into entrepreneurship and whether starting a business is right for you. Scroll down to take our simple entrepreneur quiz and see!

Psychology of the Entrepreneur

People often wonder if they would be successful as an entrepreneur.  After all, startups are not for the faint of heart. It takes more than a good business idea to be successful in a startup.  You need guts. Passion. A positive can-do attitude. That’s where an entrepreneur quiz comes in.

The simple fact is, not all of us have entrepreneurial personalities. What if it turns out you are one of those people NOT suited to start a business?  It doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in life.  It just may be better for you to take a different career path.

Many people would rather know what they are good at, up front, before they spend a lot of time pursuing a career.  And that is the idea behind this entrepreneur quiz.  Based on two decades of experience starting and running small businesses, we wanted to illustrate how entrepreneurs think and what makes them tick.  The questions below help you walk in the shoes of a startup entrepreneur for a few short minutes. A score of 70% or more is good.

Entrepreneur Quiz

Results

Nice! You seem to share many traits in common with entrepreneurs. Scroll down to read more about each trait. 

Hmm, work on developing a more entrepreneurial mindset. Scroll down for details under each answer.

#1. The following is closest to describing my ideal workday:

Sure, entrepreneurs occasionally waste time like everyone else. And they sometimes sneak out of work early, especially if the work bores them.

But here’s the difference. Entrepreneurs find something they love and throw themselves into their work completely. They are driven by dreams and goals. Work is like play to an entrepreneur when it’s something they are passionate about. And they gain a deep satisfaction from their accomplishments.

#2. When there’s a big challenge at work, I am most likely to:

Successful entrepreneurs are self-starters. They do not wait for someone else to tell them what to do. On the contrary – when you’re an entrepreneur, you have a team and customers looking to YOU for what to do.

You can’t let stress overtake you. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed at first by a large challenge. But entrepreneurs take a deep breath, apply their creativity and start finding solutions.

#3. Problems get me excited to solve them!

Your first reaction to a problem may not be excitement. Entrepreneurs feel fear, anxiety, annoyance and other emotions just like everyone else.

But it’s what entrepreneurs do next that sets them apart. Successful entrepreneurs know they have to quickly overcome negative feelings and start trying to solve problems. Eventually they get excited by the challenge of finding a solution.

Problem solving is the essence of entrepreneurship.

#4. I am at my best when:

If you want things to be predictable and never change, then starting a business will be your worst nightmare!  Because nothing stays the same in a startup. Startups are for people who embrace variety and change.

#5. If I didn’t know where my next paycheck was coming from, I would:

This question is one of the most important in this entrepreneur quiz. It highlights all-important attitudes toward money as a practical reality.

Entrepreneurs worry about money like everyone else. The difference is, they know that in a startup no one gets a paycheck unless and until they make sales. They replace worry with action.

Entrepreneurs also are pragmatic and have a healthy respect for money.  They don’t ignore getting paid. Why? Because they know it takes money to run a business.

You may not aspire to be the richest person in your town. But at the end of the day, you have to make enough money to stay in business.

#6. The following best describes my attitude toward customers:

Startup founders do not dislike customers. They understand that without customers there would be no business.

Even startup founders who are introverts know that satisfying customers is key. In the end, most founders embrace the opportunity to learn from customers, despite it sometimes being painful to hear from unhappy customers.

#7. If an irate customer left a negative online review, my reaction would be:

Does anyone like getting negative reviews?  Of course not! In fact, as an entrepreneur you may feel that the review was unfair or incorrect.

But smart owners put their business first, personal feelings second. They know the power of online reviews. They don’t give in to emotional outbursts, no matter how satisfying it might feel for a day or two.

#8. As an entrepreneur, if the bank told me “no” to a business loan, I would:

Are you willing to put your personal money into your business?  Most entrepreneurs do.  And they don’t take one “no” as the only answer. They keep trying and find some other way. It’s a key part of the entrepreneur personality.

#9. If the trash can in my startup needed emptying and I had no money to hire staff, I would:

Entrepreneurs know that tasks like emptying the trash can are a small price to pay for being a founder.  They don’t always like it.  And they may quickly try to get to a point where they can hire someone do it for them.

But they understand “first things first.”  First, they must get the business going and money coming in the door.  Then, and only then, would they hire a service to empty the trash.

They make good choices about where to spend their limited startup funds. They don’t go into debt for unimportant things.

#10. I can’t wait to get to work in the morning, when it’s something I love.

Startup founders get excited about their dreams! And their business is their dream.

Founders often say they love their businesses. So it’s no surprise that they can’t wait to get started on something they love each morning. They are so bubbling with enthusiasm they can’t get to their businesses fast enough.

Finish

Entrepreneur Quiz Image: DepositPhotos.com

5 Comments ▼

Anita Campbell Anita Campbell is the Founder, CEO and Publisher of Small Business Trends and has been following trends in small businesses since 2003. She is the owner of BizSugar, a social media site for small businesses.

5 Reactions
  1. It depends on the way you work. It has nothing to do with passion but how well the business suits your personality.

  2. Robert A Erven Jr

    It takes more than just the right attitude to be successful in business. The right attitude and mindset is just the beginning.
    Always good to build on a firm foundation. Need to know more.

  3. I have to agree with the other comments. It takes self motivation and willing to take a risk. The willingness to take control of what you want in your life is critical. I also believe that the most important thing is persistence which will drive you to succeed.

  4. Very good

  5. thx this was some good information