Entrepreneurship is all about passion and making people happy, that’s what Olan told me recently when we had a meeting about his business. Olan or Oi to most of his friends have an impressive background, from a poor family of Metro Aids from his Grandparents to parents ( In the Philippines, they are those people who are maintaining the cleanliness of the streets in Metro Manila. they make sure that roads are clean from trash and debris)  now a successful person because of his wit, talent, determination, perseverance and yes, I told him, charm, he finish an Architectural Degree and now owns different businesses.

I discussed this topic also in my radio show last week with Christian Leynes as my guest. Ian to his friends owns the franchise of 1st Colonial Restaurant, Smootea, Charm Bed & Breakfast, Multibiz (Sole distributor of I- Aicon, printer consumables in the Philippines from China) and Multicopy (A partnership with Fuji Xerox). Ian, same as Oi came from a humble beginnings. What’s interesting with these successful entrepreneurs are their traits and as follows;

1. Passionate- Entrepreneurs are driven by passion. Every time I am with successful people, they all would like to change the world. Yes, world domination as what I told to my passionate husband two weeks ago. they are not driven or fueled by money, for them, as long as you are making a difference to solve the problem whether with the use of their skills, products or services, money will just follow, whether you like it or not. A lot of them will answer you also that they are doing what they are doing because they are enjoying, as what they say, when there is passion in things you are doing, it’s not work anymore.
2. Risk Taker- This actually is the difference between the dreamers and doers. While others are so afraid to even ride that zip line at tree Top Adventure, one keeps on repeating the activity.  It all boils down to being able to successfully manage fear. You can go with the fear and quit or push through it and positive that everything will turn out fine.
3. Vision- I remember my dad telling me things about his vision. It is the ability to spot an opportunity and imagine something where others haven’t. As what the great Albert Eistein says,

” The true signs of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. for knowledge is limited to all we all now know and understand. While imagination embraces the entire world, all there ever will be to know and understand.”

4. Self Confidence- I am always sharing this every time I am presenting to a group of people during my talks that confidence can be gained, not all are born with it even if your family is the richest. I met Blas recently and this Start Up Entrepreneur surely has that above the ground self confidence. While he is discussing his products and services and on how it can solve the problem and change the world, I am checking why he is that confident, the way he talks is very convincing and super crazy sure that his product is something the world needs. Remember Jack Ma in that viral video when he was still convincing investors for Alibaba? He was very confident when he mentioned that in 3 to 5 years, that’s when suffering will be felt but he mentioned that, it is the reason also of success. Now, he is US $27 billion worth.

5. Rule Breaking- Entrepreneurs exist to defy conventional wisdom. When Mikel Yaw,  the CEO of Xremo told me that we will launch it in the Philippines when we discussed it last time in Malaysia, I am so excited. Mikel is a visionary, he likes to start a new business and imagining to help more people because of it. Starting a new business is actually breaking the rules already especially if you have a current one. Those who turned out to be the best entrepreneurs often had a history of being rule breakers especially in their teenage years and that’s according to new study.  According to this study, They found that successful entrepreneurs have to be smart, have high self- esteem and be well- educated but they also need the attraction to risk. Oh I remember Oi, he even mentioned he was a part of a gang also before.

So! When are you going to break some rules?