The digital advancements witnessed since the late 20th century have given rise to many successful technology companies, and with them, a host of successful tech entrepreneurs. From the likes of the late Steve Jobs to Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and many others, the tech industry has become an integral part of the global economy, with many of the world’s largest firms coming from it. However, not every technology start-up finds success. According to research from Columbia Business School, a founder’s personality traits can play a role in whether a start-up is successful (or not).
As a graduate of Columbia Business School, Massimo Acquaviva – 2R Capital Investment Management Limited co-founder and co-CEO – will know that an entrepreneur’s personality traits are crucial to how effectively they run a business. Gaining knowledge from school is important, but what helps a lot of entrepreneurs is real-life experience, which is where their personalities play out.
Detailed below are some of the traits that are key to tech entrepreneurial success.
An Intrinsic Drive to Keep Going
It’s true that successful founders don’t lack the inner drive to keep pushing through, even when they’ve put in long hours and have little guarantee that their efforts will work out. Their passion, when channelled in the right way, also tends to be contagious and spreads to their teams. And because they’re likely to fail a lot of times, successful entrepreneurs have learned to take failure in their stride, learn from the experience and identify what to do differently the next time.
They’re Go-getters
Founders who find success also often tend to be go-getters, which is visible in how they prefer to work side-by-side with their teams or speak to customers directly to gather feedback. Rather than waiting for things to happen, they like to take charge and will do what it takes to bring their vision to life. As such, these founders are also likely to be constantly on the move, gathering as much information and planning how to execute their ideas.
They Make Use of Technology
Successful entrepreneurs make the most of the technology that surrounds them. They will make an effort to find the tools and platforms that make running their business easier, something that helps level the playing field with other competitors. Furthermore, if they require a different set of skills, they’re open to finding others who have them and can complement their entrepreneurial skills.