.Becoming an Entrepreneur

Making the choice on becoming an entrepeneur can be a challenge unto itself. Start here for information on the entrepeneurial lifestyle, types of businesses you can start, and other information you'll need to help you decide if the life of an entrepeneur is right for you.

..Starting Your Own Business - Do You Have What It Takes?
Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes and personality types. Some are full of big ideas while others are better at execution. Some take big risks while others play it more safe. But there are a few things most successful entrepreneurs have in common.

Swinging for the Fences: Risk, Reward, and Entrepreneurship
Are you a Hank Aaron or a Ty Cobb? A Barry Bonds or a Hugh Duffy? Do you consistently get on base or do you swing for the fences? The answer will tell you a lot about whether entrepreneurship is right for you, and if so, what style will best suit you. Understanding your attitude towards risk and reward is essential for a happy life as an entrepreneur

Seek an Edge by Finding Your Niche
The ability to clearly differentiate yourself from your competition is the key to long-term survival as an entrepreneur. Otherwise you end up competing on price, and that's hard to do against larger competitors. In this excerpt from his book, "The Engine of America", former SBA Administrator Hector Barreto offers his tips and some case studies on finding your niche.

Do Entrepreneurs Need Good Luck?
Just how much of a role does good luck have in entrepreneurial success? And just how much of a role do we play in making our own luck. Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes, authors of "Good Luck: Create the Conditions for Success in Life & Business", say that there are five things entrepreneur can do to help create their own luck.

Failure Makes Choices
Since 80 percent of all new businesses fail within five years, you might as well learn to handle it. In fact, if you can start building this mind - set before you fail the first time, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Are You Entrepreneur Material?
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do you know what it's like, and are you prepared for the risks as well as the rewards? Our Small Business Canada Guide's interactive quiz will help you assess your attitudes to see if you're ready.

Striking Out on Your Own: Becoming an Entrepreneur
Our Career Planning Guide provides food for thought and links for exploring the decision to become an entrepreneur.

So You Want to Start a Small Business?
Thinking of starting a small business? You're on the right track. There's a lot of thinking to be done before you plunge into entrepreneurship. Three basic questions you can ask yourself will let you know whether you're ready for the entrepreneurial lifestyle or not. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.

Five Resources You Need to Succeed
Anyone can start a small business. But to be one of those businesses that succeeds and continues to flourish isn't so easy. If you're going to start a business that has staying power, there are five resources that you must have in place before you open your literal or figurative doors. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.

Check-List For Going Into Business
This set of quizzes and check-lists from the U.S. Small Business Administration will quickly and simply help you determine if you're ready to start your own business and give you some factors to consider in your planning.

Are You an Entrepreneur?
Compare the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs to your own attitudes and habits.

Making the Final Transition
You've started a project on the side, but you're still working part-time for someone else in order to make ends meet. How can you make the final transition to full-time entrepreneur?