TO RUN A SMALL BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO BE B.R.A.V.E.

The Kingston Business Excellence Awards are one of the highlights of the year for companies in this particular corner of south-west London. So I was incredibly proud to be short-listed, for the second year running, in the Entrepreneur of the Year category.

Final interviews of all candidates took place last week, which prompted much introspection and preparation in the countdown to a fairly intense 30-minute conversation.

By coincidence, one of the LinkedIn networking groups I have joined was the scene the previous day of a long discussion over the definition of entrepreneurship.

Consensus was that the word “entrepreneur” has become overused and, as a result, somewhat devalued. It seems that anybody with a mobile phone, a bit of chutzpah and half an idea now feels free to style themselves so.

However, there are certain attitudes and attributes that, many of us agreed, mark out someone’s business and behaviours as entrepreneurial. It’s hard to imagine any definition of the word, for instance, that doesn’t include the concept of risk.

That got me thinking about the attributes you need to be an entrepreneur – and how many are the same as those required for any owner of a small business. Which may be where the overuse stems from. In short, you have to be brave. That’s B.R.A.V.E….

B is for BOLD. You need to push the boundaries, to leave your comfort zone, to do things you never dreamed you would be able to do. I look at my client list sometimes and am amazed by the breadth of subjects I have written about without being a lifelong expert – and always with positive feedback from the client.

R is for RESILIENT. There will be days in the early stages when the work dries up, the phone doesn’t ring, a customer pans your work and you seriously question your choice to pursue this path. That’s when you have to be a bit tough and remind yourself of all the positive reasons why you do what you do – they still exist and they will sustain you.

A is for AGILE. Having worked for some mighty big companies which were, as a result, mighty unwieldy and resistant to change, it is refreshing to be able to alter direction and set new targets at a moment’s notice. It’s also necessary; if something clearly isn’t going to work, switch focus and do something else.

V is for VISIONARY. Arguably the most important attribute of all. You need the insight to see what your customers want, the long-term perspective to see where you are going and the clarity and honesty to look inward and examine your customer proposition. And, if it’s not as compelling as it could and should be, to see another way forward.

E is for ENERGETIC. This may be a statement of the obvious, but running your own business is not a 9-to-5 affair. There will be days when you get up at 5.30am to go networking and finish your last piece of work at 9.30pm. It’s not a competition in self-denial, but at the same time you need dynamism and drive to underpin and sustain your efforts.

I will always introduce myself as a copywriter. I don’t call myself an entrepreneur – that’s for others to judge. If those who are passing judgment after last week’s interview think I’ve got what it takes, you can bet you’ll be hearing about it after the awards.

In the meantime, if you want to talk to me about how I can help you get your message across in the best way possible using the spectacular power of the written word, please get in touch.