Which way is the job market going and what skills should one build to be in demand a few years from now?
The best way to learn is by starting a company yourself. This could be anything from a web development company, e-commerce or even a lemonade stand!
The second best way to learn is to work closely with another entrepreneur, either at a startup or as an assistant to the CEO/executive. It's important to see exactly how the startup works on the inside so you can bring experience when you start out on your own.
Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, don't forget to have fun.
Fantastic question that more folks should be asking!
Quite frankly, the requirements and skill sets required by most, if not all jobs are exactly the opposite of what you need to learn as an entrepreneur.
Thus, the answers of people saying "start being an entrepreneur" are spot on, because there is a whole unseen curriculum you begin learning when you strike out on your own. You will not learn these skills at school or a job.
While a job may pay lip service to notions like "iterate and learn by failure", corporate goals are generally set up to punish failure, which is the opposite of iterative success.
My advice is twofold:
1) Learn skills and get a job to pay the bills.
2) Start immediately learning entrepreneurship by creating a side hustle/lean startup.
For further reading:
The Lean Startup by Eric Reis
Side Hustle by Chris Guillebeau
Good luck on your journey, feel free to reach out to me if you have further questions regarding my advice!
Jump in, register your company and be an entrepreneur
The best way to learn to be an entrepreneur is to start being one! Start small - consulting, part-time entrepreneurship or freelancing. Find what works for you and what your customers are willing to pay for.
I first started freelance résumé writing more than a decade ago. I never dreamed that it would enable me to start a successful business, to write a best-seller, to be invited to The White House and ultimately to teach others about how to pitch their ideas, innovations and inventions.
Entrepreneurship is hard of course, but it's lots of fun! It's also a great component of a comprehensive plan you can build for an uncertain job market. You can always develop new skills, build new relationships and grow your career options - and you can do it all working for yourself. If you offer something that folks need in any economic environment, you'll find you're building your own job security, even if it's part-time at the beginning. Start today!
I believe you could find good experience with any of the job opportunities you have listed. I personally work at an advertising agency and we work with hundreds of clients, many times we work directly with the business owners themselves. I get to look into tons of business and leadership styles so that may be something you want to consider. That said, based on my observation, the most successful entrepreneurs aren't the people who call themselves entrepreneurs but instead the people that spent several years working and learning an industry and then turned this experience and knowledge into a business in that industry.
I would suggest thinking about an industry that would interest you. Spend some time researching it's future prospects. Make the effort to find an industry that suits you well and is poised for future growth then get whatever job you can in that industry. Look for innovative companies or good leaders you want to learn from, get a job with them and work your butt off to learn everything you can. Eventually, as you learn the industry you will start to spot opportunities and efficiencies you can leverage to create a business. By that point, you will have the skills, industry experience, and contacts necessary to get your business off the ground.
When you get your great idea and you go to look for outside investment your investors will want to know if you have business skills and if you have industry experience. This is the best way to get plenty of both.
first get the things clear that in which field you want start your business and journey of becoming entrepreneur. then you will find it yourself, where you have to go ?
still you are in any confusion then please call me I will help you.
To become an entrepreneur, you need strong sales skills hence working in sales would really help. You can have a great team, culture, funding but without sales your start-up would eventually be dead in the water. If you have strong sales, rest of it can be set-up or brought in gradually.
Whatever field of business or industry you have a passion for, or already have plans to enter with your own idea, you should work in that field as a sales guy.
Sales gives you an idea of the market, give you time to interact with and understand the customer needs, wants and price points. These are the number one skills required when you start your own venture.
The closest to being an entrepreneur is to work a sales position that is paid solely on commission. If you don't sell- you don't get paid.
Sales is going to show you what people are really needing. It will give you insight in how to market to this need. How much people will be willing to pay for your service/product.
Being paid solely on commission will show you whether you have the tenacity and will to manage you finances, and stick to it and find solutions when things look bleak. It will test you to see if you think like an entrepreneur , or think like an employee. Can you handle risk or do you avoid it.
If you are afraid of being totally responsible for what you earn- how much you make is how much you're willing to hustle, then you might rethink being an entrepreneur .
In my experience, the unique skillset required to be a successful entrepreneur isn't something which can be learned through working a variety of jobs as you've described. Yes, it's true that an entrepreneur needs skills in all of these areas- but HOW MUCH and in WHAT CAPACITY is something that only other entrepreneurs can really teach you. Sometimes having a generalist's understanding of a particular area is enough to make meaningful progress, while in other situations your particular niche might require a "deep dive" to really become an expert. I've spent over 10 years creating businesses and making many missteps along the way (let's call them learning experiences!) and the most valuable lessons I've learned have come from more successful entrepreneurs who were willing to listen to my challenges and offer their perspective and wisdom. My advice would be to gain a mentor like this, learn as much as you can, and then start applying what you've learned towards a new endeavor ASAP. I wish you every success!
Each individual will bring something different to a startup team. Often, a founder will have experience in the particular subject matter e.g. nutrition, personal training, adventure, software, real estate, etc but lack broader expertise in sales and marketing or accounting. I recently worked with a startup in which one co-founder used to be a TV director - so he was great at making beautiful video content for the website and for social media - and the other was great at sourcing products from Asia, but neither really knew how to market the business. I myself come from a background in big multi-nationals so I know how to build a brand and how to market a product but I’ve had to adapt to smaller teams and smaller budgets. Consulting is also great for getting exposure to different industries and companies.
Of course the best experience in terms of being an entrepreneur comes from actually launching a business and learning from that experience! Getting a mentor is definitely a great idea, as well as devouring books and relevant courses in the areas in which you know you lack experience.
Good luck!
I don't think there is any job that is going to teach you how to be an entrepreneur. Working as an analyst, in sales, or marketing enables you to see how a certain area within a firm operates, and the role it plays. It can help you learn the skills needed to succeed in that position, but that is not the same as being the boss of your own business.
Those who want to be entrepreneurs may start out by keeping their day job, not to learn how to run their own business, but to have some income while they are setting up.
Others may choose to work with someone who owns and runs his own business, in hopes that they can learn from them, sort of like an apprentice. Unfortunately, many business owners do not have the time, patience or desire to show someone else the ropes, especially someone who may end up being their competition!
Over all, based on my own experience and from that of other entrepreneurs, we learn by doing it. No matter how much, or how little, work experience, education or talent you have, nothing really prepares you for running your own business, mainly because being an "expert" in your field is not all it takes to run a business, or get clients.
In regard to the job market, and the skills one should build to be in demand are concerned, I would say, first and foremost, learn how to code. Anything to do with technology-coding, SEO, web development, digital marketing-I see as useful skills. Being proficient in Microsoft Work and Excel are no longer considered skills, they are considered necessities and are no longer special. So, it is very important to become proficient in tech skills which a company can find useful and use immediately.
First, start by conducting a self-analysis:
1. What do I want, really?
2. What am I already naturally good at?
3. What do I really need to work on?
If being an entrepreneur is your end-goal then your best chance is to become an entrepreneur. Just start something. Starting now gives you the greatest opportunity to start learning, failing, adjusting and developing your "winning formula".
Scared to dive right in? Start small. Side-hustle. Get a job, perhaps a full-time job in VC as analyst (if you need help building business experience), or Sales (if you need help developing people skills and want to refine how to close a deal), or Marketing (if you need help with communication and presenting value) or Consulting (if you want to explore industries and develop business acumen).
What do you want, really? What can you "afford", really?
Pick a direction. Start. Learn. Refine. Re-evaluate.
I liked Scott's answer.
Just start being one... an entrepreneur...
Try searching Clarity for answers I've given about speaking at events (Meetups, Co-Work Office, Conferences).
Just pick something you like doing + think people will pay you to do + start networking at physical events.
When I have a new idea. I pitch it (soft pitching, where no one realizes I'm pitching) + if I can make at least one sale from being with 100 people, then I figure the idea is good.
I call this my Sunset Rule.
If I can have an idea in the morning + make a sale before sunset, then I figure my idea's good.
If I can't make a sale, I scrap it + come up with another idea.
Working in Sales Strategy helped me a lot in running a startup later.
Within a few months of starting up, you will realise that a scalable business is all about setting achievable milestones and using whatever possible to achieve them quickly.
Sales teaches you how to optimise your daily routine to meet your targets, while Strategy teaches you how to set the milestones scientifically.
Great question!!
My name is Humberto Valle, I have been an entrepreneur and investor for about 10 years now. My background is in strategy and marketing and recently sold a small marketing firm I started dubbed www.Unthink.me.
Now I focus solely on consulting.
Anyway, as another expert here mentioned - the best way to learn is to be one. But there is a caveat to that and that is that a lot of newbie 'treps (as I call them) or would be treps get lured into the 'life' not really appreciating the harshness of what it could entail mainly in regards to sales and marketing.
It doesn't matter what type of business you launch, what you produce or who is your target market - the bottom line to any startup or entrepreneur is driven by sales and if you aren't comfortable selling or aren't able you will not succeed. So my suggestion would to simply start selling, either go get a job where you depend solely on sales or start your own small (humble and non-would-be-world-dominating) business where you get to sell directly to potential buyers. The way the market is heading and technology enabling this path - most jobs will eventually require customer service, tech/coding skills, and sales. Which is why naturally a lot of people are being driven to runt their own companies.
I've been a self employed "Entrepreneur" since 2015, but started my business back in 2011.
Entrepreneurship is such a vague term, what is it specifically that you would like to do? If you're business you'd like to start requires a specific skill-set or if a certain knowledgebase would be helpful you should get a job doing that.
For example, I see so many people wanting to open bars, yet many of them have never even worked in a bar or the hospitality industry. For someone like that getting a job in a bar and working in as many positions as possible would be helpful. When you are an Entrepreneur or the owner of a business everything falls on your shoulders, so if the kegerator isn't working that's your problem, you need to know how to fix it. That's why if I were going to open a bar I'd work as a barback, a bartender, a server, a manager, before I was confident I could open a bar.
There's other hard skills that are always good to have such as sales, marketing, video editing, graphic design, etc. If you were to get a job which could teach you any of those skills that would be incredibly helpful.
Figure out specifically what type of business you'd like to start or what type of Entrepreneur you'd like to be and that will give you a better idea of which job you should get to learn those skills.
To answer your question directly; working at a VC firm as an analyst does little for you to understand how to run a business. Conversely, any startup should start with four fundamental pillars of foundation: THe Architect (CEO), The Money Guy (CFO), The Hustler (Sales), and the Techy(CTO).
To directly correlate with your question, entrepreneurs should be well versed in many aspects of their business. Often, many newcomers believe that knowing just one skill will suffice, which is not true. In the case of your question, I would suggest marketing/sales be your priority(since every entrepreneur can benefit from the learnings, and quickly make them actionable within their own business).
To Indirectly answer, entrepreneurs should always learn new skills and build not only their skills toolkit but also their mindset. I hope this answer finds you well. Best of Luck with your endeavor.
Entrepreneurship allows you to do nearly anything you want. Entrepreneurs strengths and weaknesses will be very different from industry to industry. My approach to this question is to ask yourself what is it about becoming an entrepreneur that interest you? Then ask yourself what are your biggest interests and joys in life? Finally what skills do you require to bridge those 2 questions.
What you will find is that there is a specific niche that you are interested in. This niche will require a specific skill set. Once this is established focus your efforts in these areas by reading books, watching videos and talking with people in this space. Building more specific skills to your interest vs general skills will help you achieve a greater success in the beginning.
I have a unique platform for you where you will be able to find free products, entrepreneur ideas, services, and alot of knowledge. But for that you will have to talk 1 minute with me for consultancy
Find a mentor and just start! It doesn't necessarily start with an idea-- it is really about understanding what is needed and then research, analyze, and plan! Get in a room with people who are already there, and make friends with people who are on their way, just like you :-). Read, study, check out investopedia.com, chron.com get onto Linkedin, learn more about how some of the greatest ideas were built and learn about the creator, founder's story, and just get to it :-)
The best way to learn how to become an entrepreneur is, of course, to just start. When you're forcing yourself to learn everything that's necessary to get a business idea up-and-running, you will learn different parts of both your specific business as well as entrepreneurship in general.
Aside from that, you can also work with other entrepreneurs. I find that roles that allow you to wear many hats, and work directly with founders and/or CEO's are best because it exposes you to as many parts of entrepreneurship as possible, and challenges you in many different ways quickly.
Now, for later-stage companies, a "different" type of entrepreneur is necessary. For this, I would try to work at later-stage startups (on the leadership team if you can) to learn the ropes on how things are done at scale and with a large organization.
Start a business either alone or with the help of a friend. I tried and 5 years down the road, it is still alive! Also consider joining a business that's at it's initial stages, if possible just a volunteer or intern.
Also, consider reading stories about starting businesses, or if within your reach, ask someone who started one that is now up and running. I'm available if you wanna chat a little more about this.
Like most have said, just start.
Gary Vee, love him or hate him, has it right in getting people to be confident in their ideas rather than wait for "the perfect time."
Whichever route you take, it will be difficult in the beginning. I work in sales, and a lot of us "found" ourselves in this profession. Very few people grow up saying, "My dream is to be a salesperson!" And we suffer more than we have to because we are in the business unprepared.
Sales is a form of entrepreneurship, one among many, and the most important thing you can do is be very clear on your values and your goals first. This will give you a firm foundation where you will be less likely to fold or concede under pressure, and will give you a backbone and identity which will draw people to you as a leader.
You might find this helpful: http://www.negotiations.ninja/podcast/negotiate-like-an-entrepreneur-with-marty-park-ep117/
All the best, M
The best way, as has been said a few times, is to start your own venture, however small.
If you don't feel ready for that yet, you might want to look for a leadership position in a small company. That is probably most similar to being an entrepreneur, because you also need a wide variety of skills and you need to think in an entrepreneurial way.
Should the company be in the same field that you want to later start your business in?
There are pros and cons to this:
- It helps to start creating a network
- You learn more about the industry
- It looks good on your CV that you have deep expertise in one industry
BUT
- You might run into issues with the non-compete agreement you usually have to sign
- It might be more valuable to focus on style of culture and governance rather than industry
- You will always acquire transferable skills
The word entrepreneur comes from the French word "to undertake”. One of the defining factors for an entrepreneur is to take the necessary steps to create a business that will, when managed properly, continue making them money while they are not working. By most definitions, a freelancer is not an entrepreneur. There are some certain traits, qualities, and values that most successful entrepreneurs share. While they do not guarantee success, certain entrepreneurial characteristics lay a strong foundation for life of risk-taking and reward. First and foremost, entrepreneurs value independence. Entrepreneurs are self-reliant. They enjoy being responsible for their own success and take pride in building something greater than themselves. If the thought of not getting paid on a regular basis, failing to sell your product, or simply falling flat on your face frightens you to paralysis, you may have difficulty dealing with the up-and-down nature of entrepreneurship. Due to the higher levels of risk, long-lasting entrepreneurs are also frugal.
You can red more here: https://www.geteducated.com/career-center/how-to-become-an-entrepreneur/
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath
I believe this depends on what YOU like: do not do anything you don't LOVE to do.
Based on the options you provided, I believe the best skills anyone can acquire are in the marketing and sales fields.
These are the two fields that will allow you to do anything you desire because when you bring cash into your company or someone else's with those skills they will NOT let you go—and you as a business owner will continue to do WELL!
Consulting is what I do and where my focus is these days. Because of my sales and marketing background, I provide a better service to those I help by combining insights about my expertise, eCommerce, PLUS how to turn that into sales for their business.
In other words, anyone can build a site but not everyone can make it profitable—that's where the sales and marketing experience comes in!
Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
I began my entrepreneurship venture roughly after 5 years of doing multiple roles.
Now that I know how tough it is to operate a business venture, in my opinion it is best to do a) a Sales Role or b) In the same
industry which you wish to do business in or c) avoid doing a job at all - often it is your determination in the actual role which matters and not your prior role / expertise.
Hope this helps.
There are various job roles that can provide relevant
experience. While the specific path may vary based on
individual interests and goals, here are a few options:
1)Working in sales or marketing can provide crucial skills for entrepreneurs.
2)Joining a Venture capital (VC) firm as an analyst provides an exposure to the investment and the opportunity to work closely with entrepreneurs.
3)Consulting firms offer exposure to a wide range of industries and business challenges.
Regarding the job market and skills in demand for the future:
1)Digital literacy and technology skills like data analytics, machine learning, coding, and digital marketing.
2)Soft skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, collaboration, and leadership.
3)The ability to quickly learn and adapt to new technologies and business models.
Trabajo en una startup: Trabajar en una startup te expone a un entorno empresarial dinámico y te brinda la oportunidad de aprender de emprendedores experimentados. Podrás ver de primera mano cómo se construye un negocio desde cero, enfrentar desafíos y ser parte del proceso de toma de decisiones.
Consultoría empresarial: Trabajar como consultor empresarial te permitirá obtener experiencia en diferentes industrias y negocios. Aprenderás a analizar problemas empresariales, identificar oportunidades de crecimiento y desarrollar estrategias para mejorar la eficiencia y rentabilidad de las empresas.
Ventas y marketing: Una sólida comprensión de ventas y marketing es crucial para cualquier emprendedor. Trabajar en roles de ventas o marketing te ayudará a desarrollar habilidades de comunicación, negociación y comprensión del mercado. Además, aprenderás a generar demanda, construir relaciones comerciales y promover productos o servicios.
Desarrollo de productos: Un buen conocimiento del proceso de desarrollo de productos es esencial para lanzar un negocio exitoso. Trabajar en roles relacionados con el desarrollo de productos te permitirá aprender a identificar las necesidades del mercado, diseñar soluciones innovadoras y gestionar proyectos.
Gestión de proyectos: La capacidad de gestionar proyectos de manera efectiva es fundamental para cualquier emprendedor. Trabajar en roles de gestión de proyectos te enseñará a establecer metas, asignar recursos, administrar el tiempo y coordinar equipos, habilidades cruciales para la puesta en marcha y el crecimiento de un negocio.
Recuerda que, además de la experiencia laboral, también es importante complementarla con educación empresarial, leer libros relevantes, asistir a conferencias y participar en programas de formación específicos para emprendedores. El aprendizaje constante y la mentalidad de crecimiento son clave para convertirte en un exitoso emprendedor.
I believe the best way I learned sales was when I worked in the vacuum business. It was quite challenging, as most vacuum businesses relied on door-to-door sales. I decided to join the Rainbow vacuum systems, which allowed me to gain valuable experience. Joining Rainbow Industries was the best decision I made because their appointments were all scheduled and organized. Everything ran through a marketing system, with an office and a team of representatives who managed phone calls and scheduled appointments for the sales representatives.. This strategy helped to build trust and credibility with the customer by showing them that others in their network also saw value in the product or service. It also helped to create a sense of community and social proof, which can be powerful motivators for making a purchase. By leveraging the connections and recommendations of others, I was able to increase the likelihood of a successful sale and build a strong customer base for the future.
Work in sales. Learn about your customer, how to read the market, identify their pains. You would be doing this your whole life as an entrepreneur. You need to identify opportunities and learn to be resilient, there's no better entry job to learn this than sales.
I would say "Marketing" However there are cons. Pros: Gain insights into consumer behavior, branding, and market trends. Develops creativity and the ability to communicate effectively.
Cons: May not cover all aspects of running a business, such as finance or operations.
Sales and Marketing: Jobs in sales and marketing can provide valuable insights into understanding customer needs, developing persuasive communication skills, and learning how to promote products or services effectively. These skills are essential for acquiring customers and generating revenue as an entrepreneur.
Before starting any path, you must cleanse all the old beliefs that our subconscious mind has programmed for many years, and try to completely demolish them and bring out the new, flexible mind and person for a solid building, because the foundations come before building, and then defining a distinctive idea and believing in it and in yourself and making you much greater than the goal, this is In itself, it makes you a person receptive to positive change and hence creativity and hard work, which will make a big difference in both your life and your work.
These kinds of roles would provide valuable experience in evaluating potential business ideas, conducting market research, and analyzing financials. They would also offer exposure to various industries and startups, providing a well-rounded perspective on entrepreneurial ventures.
Working in sales or marketing can also provide valuable skills for an aspiring entrepreneur. These roles require strong communication, networking, and strategic thinking abilities to build and grow a successful business. Furthermore, being immersed in a sales or marketing environment can give insight into customer behavior and preferences, which is crucial for developing innovative products or services.
Consulting can also offer valuable experience for those looking to become entrepreneurs. Consultants work with various clients and industries, providing exposure to different business models and challenges. This allows individuals to develop problem-solving skills and gain insight into effective management strategies.
Overall, while each of these positions can offer unique learning opportunities for someone interested in becoming an entrepreneur, I believe that working at a VC firm as an analyst would provide the most comprehensive and beneficial experience.
However, in the end, individuals who aspire to become entrepreneurs need to adopt the mindset as if they are contemplating the idea of starting a startup or founding their own company. It is helpful to think like an entrepreneur, CEO, or other senior manager, asking questions, seeking mentorship, and participating in internship programs to learn everything possible about running a company. This need for expertise and knowledge should lead you to align with your interests and strengths in order to gain the necessary skills and experience to succeed as an entrepreneur.
In addition to getting academic knowledge about accounting, marketing, etc. you need to actually work in an environment that allows you to learn about what it takes to "Make Payroll".
Until you know what it takes to keep the doors open, starting a business and assemble the plane while flying it means that your chance of failure and wasting money is almost 100%.
Each of these roles offers valuable skills and insights for aspiring entrepreneurs, but the best job for you might depend on your specific interests and goals. Here’s a brief overview of how each role can help you:
Working at a VC as an Analyst:
Pros: Provides insight into evaluating startups, understanding market trends, and learning about funding and investment strategies. You’ll gain experience in assessing business models and working with various entrepreneurs.
Cons: May be less hands-on with day-to-day business operations.
Working in Sales:
Pros: Develops skills in customer relationship management, sales strategies, and understanding market needs. This experience is crucial for identifying and meeting customer demands as an entrepreneur.
Cons: The focus is more on direct sales rather than broader business operations.
Working in Marketing:
Pros: Offers skills in brand development, market research, and customer engagement. Understanding how to effectively market products and services is essential for any entrepreneur.
Cons: May not cover all aspects of running a business, such as financial management or operations.
Consulting:
Pros: Provides exposure to various industries and business challenges. You’ll develop problem-solving skills and learn how different companies approach growth and strategy.
Cons: Can be broad and may not focus deeply on any single area.
Recommendation: For a well-rounded entrepreneurial skill set, a combination of roles could be ideal. For instance, starting in a sales or marketing role can help you understand customer needs and build a brand, while experience at a VC or in consulting can provide strategic insights and business acumen.
Hello, if you have a side job then read entrepreneurial books and watch videos by successful leaders specially your role models.
Apply that in your side job. it would greatly benefit if your job is a people persuading one.
If you dont have a job, then find a job where you deal with a variety of people. eg call center, receptionist, waitressing, sales,etc.
if you dont need a job and can take risks then plunge in. Do a market study in your vicinity and find the right ideas and START.
Call if you want a more customized answer.
Learn from everywhere and anywhere. The most valuable skills are learnt by practical examples only.
The best job to learn how to become an entrepreneur is typically in sales. Working in sales helps develop essential skills like negotiation, understanding customer needs, and driving revenue, which are critical for any entrepreneurial venture. Other valuable roles include marketing, where you learn about brand positioning, and consulting, which offers exposure to various industries. Working at a VC firm provides insights into startups but may not directly teach you how to run a business. Ultimately, starting your own venture or side hustle is the most hands-on way to learn.
the best way to become an entrepreneur is probably to float your ideas in a public forum... that s why study is good you could be doing your bachelor of business with major in entrepreneurship, this is where you can float your ideas in your assignments and match it to what you are doing in your work life, and get feedback from your peers and lecturers having a mentor is key or many mentors. As far as work is concerned star working in business anywhere whilst your studying lay the foundations for business. So working in sales or marketing to start with or as an EA, or sales coordinator will assist and help you understand how to bring products etc to market
If you have a business to start, just do it! If you don't yet have one, but know that's what you want long-term, the very best thing you can do is 1) learn to be an expert in selling and all aspects of building sales teams. Unless it's Ecom, you'll need to generate sales... this gives you the backbone of that, and 2) stack a ton of cash while learning to be a bad a** in sales! From my experience, becoming an ultra high-performer via commission based sales is the fastest way to save tons of money.... Which means you can fund your startup and get it further along before needing to raise money and getting diluted. Sales cures all!
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