Sophie Howard started a new podcast slash info product business called Aspiring Entrepreneurs. As the name implies, this project is all about showing you what it really takes to become a successful entrepreneur. It’s about finding out who you are, your strengths and weaknesses and preferences, and then picking the perfect business model for you. In fact, Sophie recommends you take an archetype quiz to figure out the type of entrepreneur you’re meant to be.
The first archetype is the Creator. Someone who adapts to change, someone who’s a visionary, who spots the gaps, sees the opportunity, comes up with an innovative way to tackle it. Someone who’s not worried about red tape or bureaucracy; they’ll just smash on through it. One advantage of being a Creator is you’re always in demand. Another is that you’re hard to replace. You bring a huge amount of value to any team you’re a part of.
Also, Creators thrive in chaotic conditions, which is immensely helpful in the startup world. They tend to be passionate about their work, which, let’s face it, most people aren’t. One downside, though, is that you might be better at starting projects than you are finishing. So you’ll need to pair up with executors. People who can dot the Is, cross the Ts, put standard operating procedures in place and see that they’re followed. Work on your communication skills, too, so you can get other people to get behind your big ideas.
The second archetype is the Connector. Someone who loves networking, loves working with other people, has a natural energy for conversation and connection. Creators would do well linking up with Connectors who can help get their ideas out there, introduce them to other key players, and start drumming up interest in the market, Sophie says. Connectors make good managers, keeping Creators freed up to do what they do best: create stuff, right?
The third profile an entrepreneur can have is an Operator. Someone who builds systems and processes, someone who sets a schedule and makes everyone stick to it, someone who turns chaos into order and ensures customers have a consistent experience throughout their journey with you. Every founder needs a good Operator. But Operators can also be founders, too. Case in point: Jeff Bezos, who has a rule that Amazon’s delivery drivers can’t make left turns because it would eat up too much time yielding to oncoming traffic. What. A. Savage.
Fourth and final, you’ve got the Automator. Someone who loves tech, someone who can identify inefficiencies and who understands how to use software and tools to fix them. The people in Silicon Valley making it big are mostly Automators. Think Uber, think Airbnb. Automators can build unfathomably-large companies that are attractive to investors since they’re so damn scalable. Software as a service (SaaS) is arguably the best business to build, so congrats if you’re this archetype.
In future Aspiring Entrepreneurs episodes, Sophie Howard will be introducing you to someone that falls under each profile type who’s gone on to build a successful business. In the meantime, she’s got a free ebook you can check out, called The Digital Asset Investor. Or, enroll in her Freedom Navigator Program for a thousand bucks. Or, if you want more one-on-one help, get in line for her new coaching program. Alternatively, you could just check out the resource below.
