Developing an entrepreneurial mindset

Developing an entrepreneurial mindset is a key factor to success not only in business but in many aspects of life. As Somers at MIT Sloan wrote, “Entrepreneurial mindsets aren’t just for startups.”

In this blog post, we’ll uncover what it means to have an entrepreneurial mindset and the associated benefits. We’ll also explore how you can cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset for yourself.

But first, let’s discuss what an entrepreneurial mindset actually is.

What is an entrepreneurial mindset?

An entrepreneurial mindset is a set of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours. These enable individuals to identify and pursue opportunities, take calculated risks, and create value for themselves and others.

While the entrepreneurial mindset definition varies quite significantly depending on the source, the overarching message is similar. A successful entrepreneur thinks, acts, and views the world differently from most people. This enables them to identify and pursue opportunities, take calculated risks, and create value for themselves and others.

McGrath and MacMillian (2000) highlight five distinct characteristics of an entrepreneur in their book, “The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Strategies for Continuously Creating Opportunity in an Age of Uncertainty“. These characteristics include:

• Opportunity-seeking: Those who think entrepreneurially passionately seek out and pursue new opportunities.
• Action-orientated: Entrepreneurial minded individuals act on opportunities with fierce discipline – holding themselves accountable at each step of the way.
• Focused and controlled: While opportunity-seeking, people with an entrepreneurial mindset properly assess opportunities. Instead of chasing after every possibility, they focus on only a handful of opportunities to pursue.
• Execute: Execution is a must for anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset. Testing, analysing and adapting their approach so they’re better able to exploit the opportunities.
• Resourceful: Entrepreneurial thinkers are resourceful and involve many people in the process of pursuing an opportunity. Being able to identify peoples’ intellect and other resources they may have to offer is vital.

In comparison, Bill Aulet outlined three traits that define an entrepreneurial mindset no matter the environment. These traits are: (1) Solutions-oriented, (2) Adaptable, and (3) Anti-fragile.

Essentially, being entrepreneurially minded is the ability to think, and therefore act, like an entrepreneur. However, the context is not as relevant.

Now that you know what an entrepreneurial mindset is, let’s look at the benefits of having one.

The benefits

The benefits of an entrepreneurial mindset are countless. Whether you’re looking to start your own business, climb the career ladder, or simply achieve a goal in your own personal life, an entrepreneurial mindset can help. Here are some reasons why:

1. Creativity: You’ll be better able to think outside the box. As such, you’ll be better able to develop creative solutions to any challenges you face.
2. Adaptability: You’ll become more comfortable with change and better able to adapt.
3. Risk-taking: Get comfortable with taking risks, managing uncertainty, and making bold decisions.  
4. Persistence: Become more resilient in the face of challenges and setbacks.

Overall, developing an entrepreneurial mindset can help you become more creative, adaptable, willing to take risks, and persistent. These are all valuable skills that can help you succeed, but how do you develop them?

How to develop an entrepreneurial mindset?

There are many things you can do to develop your own entrepreneurial mindset, some are more difficult than others. The key is to remember that developing one is a continuous learning process – the learning cycle never ends.

Before we dive into the specifics, developing an entrepreneurial mindset will require you to adopt an outlook that prioritises innovation, risk-taking, and the ability to identify and capitalise on opportunities. Here are some tips on how you can cultivate these traits:

• Embrace a growth mindset: Believe that you can learn and develop skills from failing. This is something all users of our serious business game, Evolution, encounter and get to practice.
• Develop a passion: Find something you are passionate about and pursue it. Try different hobbies and a variety of work and task-types until you find something that lights your fire.
• Take calculated risks: Develop your analysis and planning skills in order to evaluate potential risks and rewards before taking action. This is something our startup ideas platform, Validate, and our business simulation, Evolution, can help you practice.
• Build a network: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals with experience who can offer guidance and support. Attend networking events, join entrepreneurship groups, seek support from university, and look for mentorship from successful entrepreneurs.
• Continuously learn: Entrepreneurs must stay up-to-date on industry trends, new technologies, world events, and business strategies. Invest time in reading the news and your own learning and education so you can expand your knowledge base.

By following the tips above, you can begin to start to think entrepreneurially, identify and capitalise on opportunities, take calculated risks, and ultimately succeed in your endeavours.

Business education software to help

We hope this blog post has helped you. To try our software that can help you develop an entrepreneurial mindset, we recommend browsing our list of clients to see if you have a relationship with any of the organisations listed. If you are a student or employee at one of the organisations listed, why not reach out to them in the first instance as you may just get a software license for free!

If you aren’t affiliated with any of our existing clients, you can also purchase a personal copy of Validate from our website here, or contact us directly if you are interested in a personal copy of Evolution.