When a person asks you that question, how do you answer? Are there “classes” of entrepreneurs?
In today’s post, my goal is to round it all out to help you find an easy answer the next time a person asks you what type of entrepreneur you are.
Entrepreneurs By Category
The way I see it, entrepreneurs can be broke down into 1 of 8 categories. I do believe there is crossover at times, but each entrepreneur has 1 dominate category.
Let’s take a look:
#1: The Innovator
These are the entrepreneurs who love change. They want to try the new device, introduce the newest idea, find the newest markets.
The innovator will try anything new because they love the challenge. But beware because the innovator’s emotions can sometimes be unstable.
2 entrepreneurs that probably fell into this category were Alexander Graham Bell and Steve Jobs.
#2: The Opportunist
The opportunist is the entrepreneur who uses leverage to its maximum extent. They are the ones who are passionate about both marketing and selling. They know when to jump at an opportunity and ride it until it starts flowing downhill and they then use their carefully planned exit strategy to profit in a huge way.
Many various entrepreneurs can fall into this category. It is often secondary to others.
#3: The Copier
Some people think this is a “dirty” category for entrepreneurs. They equate it to a person who plagiarizes written works.
I disagree!
As long as the person isn’t copying to every extent; as long as they take an item and make it better, they are using their entrepreneurial skills.
Just consider Uber who used the taxi idea and enlivened it making Billions.
#4: The Solver
This entrepreneur is the one who goes out looking for problems and then comes back to the lab and finds a way to solve it.
I do believe all entrepreneurs should have some of the Solver in them, but to call it the dominate category, I would say that solving is the only thing they do.
Solvers normally need a tribe to help them in many other aspects of the business because they are only focused on solving problems.
One person I believe fits in this category is Elon Musk.
#5: The Specialist
This entrepreneur focuses on a very specialized niche and sticks only to it.
There have been many who have attempted to specialize in one certain area, but have failed miserably. I do believe the Specialist does need to be open to other areas if the opportunity comes.
Others may call this a Fabian entrepreneur because they are skeptical of any change in their business.
I think of a plastic surgeon who only works on facial appearances. If a rich woman walks into his office offering to pay him double the going rate for “butt work,” will he stick with only faces?
#6: The Strategist
I would say that Strategists have the best odds of success. They are always planning and calculating. They normally think long term instead of the short run.
The Strategist is playing a game of business chess and they carefully plot each move before jumping the gun.
#7: The Prophet
How is it some entrepreneurs have an uncanny way of predicting the future?
They are Prophets.
When I think of Prophet entrepreneurs, I think of the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos and of course, Google’s Larry Page.
#8: The Natural
If you want to see who is a natural entrepreneur, just take a look at their history when they were young. Those who were the hustlers in school selling anything they could to classmates, setting up stands to sell lemonade or taking on any business opportunity that could garner them some dollars.
Those are the Naturals. And many carry it all through life and become excellent, successful entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
So which category are you in?
I really suggest that all entrepreneurs try to get the best of all the above categories, but use your main one for your success.
Are you wondering which category I am?
Tell you what… Read my book you can get here; To The Top and I bet you will figure it out.
Have a great day!
To The Top!
