Do you like the idea of being your own boss? Does the idea of creating a vision for a business, setting your own schedule, and being in control of your own success excite you? Maybe you already have a side hustle? If so, you can learn the skills of how to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship in America can seem almost magical, like someone starting a business in their garage and is now a billionaire! The good news is that entrepreneurship is not magic! It is a skill set that you can start learning now.

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) defines eight key skills that make up the entrepreneurial mindset. These skills will not only help you start your own business, but they will carry over into all parts of your life from school to jobs to relationships. The 8 skills, as defined by NFTE, are:

Critical Thinking

Do you like solving puzzles and thinking through problems from different angles? Critical thinking is the ability to see a problem or issue from different perspectives.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Life comes at you fast and requires us to change. This is the ability and willingness to change actions and plans to overcome challenges now and to predict what might happen next!

Communication and Collaboration

While you may be your own boss, you will still need to clearly express your ideas to many different people - your customers, your employees, your family and friends. This can also include persuading others to work towards a common goal.

Comfort with Risk

Starting your own business is risky. Successful entrepreneurs have the capacity to move forward with a decision despite uncertainty and challenges. The entrepreneur sees those risks and still decides to bet on themself!

Initiative and Self Reliance

You’re the boss! So that means no one is going to tell you to start or end your day at a certain time. You have the power to take ownership of your business and work through obstacles on your own.

Future Orientation

You need to dream it to be it! Taking the leap to being an entrepreneur means that you can see a positive future for yourself and your business and have the drive to make it happen!

Opportunity Recognition

Problems and obstacles are inevitable. Remember? Life comes at you fast! As an entrepreneur, you see these speed bumps as opportunities to create solutions.

Creativity and Innovation

As a visionary, you will need the ability to think of ideas and create solutions. Your ideas and creative energy are probably what made you want to be an entrepreneur and you will need to continue to lean into those skills.

Through reflection, practice, and training you can bring out these skills in yourself and become a successful entrepreneur! There are so many resources available to learn more about becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business. Here are some to get you started:

• Take an assessment to check out which your strongest entrepreneurial skills
• Enroll in free training on starting your own business for teens
• Dive deeper and learn more about the eight entrepreneurial mindset skills
• Check out our list of companies that can help you get started with a side hustle
• Search for “teen entrepreneurship programs near me” to see if there are programs near you that you can enroll in.

Get Schooled is always here to help you on your entrepreneurial journey! Text #Jobs to 33-55-77  to chat with one of our advisors about resources for starting your own business. If you're using a mobile device, click here to have the text message set up for you!

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