So you want to be an Entrepreneur!
Entrepreneurial psychology is a new area in which few psychologists practice. I’ve recently decided to complete postgraduate studies at UQ in entrepreneurship so that my psychology and business knowledge would be an asset to those who want to move into the entrepreneurial head space. After success in launching over 100 psychologists and allied health into private consultancies it is now time to provide this expert help to our business community.
What is an Entrepreneur?
There are many definitions but often it refers to someone who is creative and has moved into a business that sells a product or service that is innovative. Entrepreneurs can be anyone, including you! The average person comes up with innovative ideas but few recognise that they could make their idea profitable. Most are unsure where to start.
I’m particularly passionate helping new start up businesses and especially those how haven’t been involved in business before. That means your average mum at home who is keen to start something while the kids are young, the university student who has time on holidays to try something new, the couple that have a unique skill set when they combine their talents could start the journey to building an asset they can own. All of these sorts of people can become successful if they have knowledge on how to start.
How can you start to think like an Entrepreneur?
I believe this is the most exciting part of the process is the change in your mindset when you think like an entrepreneur. Thinking out of the box, considering possible futures not limited by current barriers. Many failed entrepreneurs will immediately launch into new projects as it is a way of thinking regardless of how they may have failed in the past.
Entrepreneurs are often quick to learn from their mistakes and don’t view failure as a negative event, rather a stepping stone. Entrepreneurs are sometimes creative but even more importantly entrepreneurs need to be able to work in a team and be mentally tough. There are plenty of movies about Silicon Valley start ups and the team is the key to launching the innovation. Who can you trust? Will they take advantage of you if you succeed? What are the risks? What if you lose a lot of your share in the innovation because you haven’t the funds or resources to put your product on the market?
The best websites to learn more about what entrepreneurs think can be found on:
I have enjoyed all my jobs which have included construction management, inventing the hair scrunchy in the 80s and now a building psychology super centres in Australia and I’m the key SEO analyst for my company. In my case I decided to learn SEO as I’m a psychologist with 4 years of training in stats so I didn’t want to risk my success by trusting others. After may years of being in both business and psychology my expertise and area of interest is helping entrepreneurial teams (and families) to perform and succeed. Sometimes this means changing roles, hiring help and changing direction in the business when the market changes.