Four Types of Successful Entrepreneurs - Some Details....!

If you fit into one (or more) of these four categories, then this series could really help you....

But don't despair if you feel you don't fit, as this is early research yet, and there's probably much more to come in future years....

However, thinking about this could be an inspiring guideline for some....

The following is based on the research of Prof. John B. Miner of State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo....

He followed the careers of 100 people who had taken entrepreneurial courses at SUNY. He noted which ones went on to be successful, and which ones didn't.... Eventually, he divided the successful entrepreneurs into four distinct "personalities", and analyzed (through interviews) the *strategies* each type of personality used to gain success....

The four personalities he came up with are:

1. The Personal Achiever
2. The Super Salesperson
3. The Real Manager
4. The Expert Idea Generator

What do these mean?

1. The Personal Achiever

Personal achievers are those people who feel a need to achieve in their lives. They are the "classic" image of an entrepreneur that many people have.

They bring a great deal of energy to their companies, and have no qualms about putting in the long hours necessary. They like to plan their goals for future achievements, and like to get feedback about their performances. They believe that they are in control of their own lives, and nobody else is in control of them....

I think Bill Gates is probably an excellent example of a strong "personal achiever." It is clear that he feels a strong psychological need to achieve his goals. This becomes quite clear when you read his history *before* he started Microsoft.... He pushed himself no matter what he did, and was an overachiever.

I also think that Anita Roddick, who started the Body Shop, may also fit in here (perhaps in combination with the "Expert Idea Generator" below). From what I can tell from reading a brief biography is that she seems quite achievement-oriented no matter what endeavour she pursued.

2. The Super Salesperson

Super salespeople have a great deal of empathy for others. They tend to like social situations and groups, and relationships are very important to them. They consider selling to be an essential part of business....

An excellent example of a Super Salesperson is probably Ross Perot, who started out as one of the most successful salespeople at IBM, then left IBM to start his own company, Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

3. The Real Manager

These are the take-charge types. They are the corporate leaders, they may thrive in corporations, and may come to entrepreneurship from those type of positions. Their strength is managing ventures into major growth.

Michael Bloomberg is probably an example of a Real Manager. He first worked at Salomon Brothers for 16 years. There, he headed the equity trading and sales division, and later on headed systems development. He was laid off in 1981, which was when he founded Bloomberg.

4. The Expert Idea Generator

These are the real ideas people. They invent new products, find new niches, and are the true innovators.

A good example would be Jim Clark, who founded Silicon Graphics (by inventing a new chip), Netscape, and Healtheon.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the founders of Apple Computer, probably fall into this category too.

* * *

I really don't think that successful entrepreneurs are *limited* to these four categories.... And many people will have the traits of more than one category. But these categories can be useful food for thought....

What strategies do these people use to succeed as entrepreneurs? It turns out that, based on Prof. John Miner's research, each type uses quite different strategies to succeed.... I'll go into the STRATEGIES which can be used next....

- Dien