Business owners are entrepreneurs.

Alas, some of them are not really the effective ones.

I’ve seen many entrepreneurs are just like office workers – they, in fact, just create another job for them, with better pay but with no sick leave or paid vacation.

A job? Yes – entrepreneurs often trap themselves in a routine. More opportunities mean more work and less time for personal endeavour.

Their motto: work hard, seize the great opportunities, and you shall be rewarded.

It sounds like a job to me.

Real entrepreneurs don’t WORK IN the business – They RUN the business.

They create a system. They hire people. They are good at managing people and get people to do what they want.

Their motto: Let other people do.

The keyword is system – real entrepreneurs can achieve more in a limited time because a system present in their business. For them, no system means no business.

Sure, you can be successful without a system. But a system liberates you.

For example, a graphic designer owning a small design business do a certain amount of projects per month. His business works because the he works.

On the other hand, a graphic designer employing a team of designer in a well-thought work system can do tens or hundreds times more projects per month, with (significantly) less work time for the owner, even often leading to a hands-off business model that allow the owner to less-involved in the business.

The bottom line: Real entrepreneurs has their assets preserved – freedom, time and control.

How to run a business like a real entrepreneur

Now, I suppose you want to be the real entrepreneur for the obvious reason – you want more time for you and your family. There are some insider tips :) on how to run a business like a real entrepreneur:

1. Delegate, delegate, delegate – the first three criteria for a business is not location, location, location, but delegate, delegate, delegate. You have to ace the art of delegating without losing control of your business.
2. Create a real company, not another job – Set a system and hire employees. Yes, funds are scarce, but as long as you can pay it, you have to do it – your another resource is often more important – time
3. Hire people that complement you – You are good at managing business, but a bad marketer – hiring one would be the smartest move you can do to grow your business.
4. Take a look at the big picture, and let others work on the details. Trust me, details can bury you alive!
5. Instead of plunge yourself inside your business, it’s better to start networking with other business owners. Opportunities present not while you tinkering inside your business, but while you talk to others discussing your business.

Good luck on your search for freedom.

Ivan Widjaya
Run a business the Noobpreneur way

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