What it Takes to Make you Successful in Starting a Small Business

    怎樣才能成功的開始你自己的創業

    Not everyone is cut out to strike out on their own as an entrepreneur

    and a business owner. If you don't have the characteristics necessary to be a small business owner, chances are your small business will not succeed. You also need a good environment in which to start your business. Some countries are better places for entrepreneurial success than others.

    不是每個人都適合當企業家自主創業的。如果你沒有成為小企業家所必備的特征的話，你的創業就沒有成功的機會。同時，想要創業的話也需要好的創業環境，有些國家對創業者來說就比較合適。

    Best Places in the World for Entrepreneurship

    世界上創辦企業的最佳地

    Although the United States is one of the top countries in the world for entrepreneurs, it isn't the top country. New Zealand is the best country for entrepreneurs with the U.S. ranking second. Canada is third with Australia placing fourth,based on a 2007 survey in FSB, published by Geoff Lewis in his article, Who in the World is Entrepreneurial? There are 43 other countries listed in this article in order of their climate regarding entrepreneurship.

    對企業家來說，美國雖然是世界上最好的國家之一，但是并不是創業的最佳國家。根據2007年Geoff Lewis在FSB上發表的調查文章顯示，最佳的創業國家中排名第一的是新西蘭，美國位居第二。加拿大名列第三，澳大利亞第四。這篇文章還列出了有創業氣氛的其他43個國家。

    Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

    成功企業家的特征

    Successful small business owners have many and varied characteristics. Only some of them will be mentioned here.

    成功的小企業家有很多不同的特性。以下提到的只是一部分。

    1.A successful entrepreneur is motivated by personal and family considerations.

    一個成功的企業家創業的動機是出自于個人和家庭的考慮。

    The number of small businesses in the U.S. is growing very rapidly. By far, small businesses employ more people than large businesses and export the vast majority of products. Many people are motivated by the flexibility provided to them if they own a small business. They may have children or elderly parents to care for. They may even want to put adult children or elderly parents on the payroll and have a true family business. There are many reasons that individuals consider a small business besides the profit motive.

    美國的小型企業數量增長很快。到目前為止，小企業雇傭的員工比大企業還要多，大部分產品都是由他們出口的。很多人創業的動機是因為小企業擁有靈活性。他們也許上有老下有小。也許想讓成年的兒女或年紀教大的父母在公司工作，或者說想要發展成為一個真正的家族企業。除了盈利的動機外，很多人選擇創辦小型企業還有很多其他原因的。

    2.A desire for independence and a strong sense of initiative are usually characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.

    獨立的愿望和強烈的自主性通常是成功企業家的兩大特征。

    Large organizations where you have to answer to someone else are often stifling to an entrepreneurial personality. Entrepreneurs desire independence and have a sense of initiative that make them want to use their own abilities to the greatest extent possible. They are willing to work long, hard hours to make their business succeed. Large organizations often frustrate them.

    大公司的話，你就必須對其他人負責，這樣就扼殺了企業家的個性。企業家都渴望獨立，有強烈的自主愿望，這促使他們想要將自我的能力發揮到最大的極限。他們愿意長時間的努力工作來取得成功。而大公司經常會讓他們感到失望。

    3.Successful entrepreneurs react quickly to change.

    成功企業家對改變能夠迅速地做出對策。

    Change both inside and outside the company affects small businesses quicker than larger businesses. Entrepreneurs have to react quickly and effectively to change to take advantage of opportunities and deal with threats. If an entrepreneur isn't capable of quick action, change can have a negative effect on operations and profitability.

    不管是內部的改變還是外界的改變對小公司的影響比對大公司的影響都要迅速。企業家必須對這些改變做出迅速而有效的對策，這樣才能抓住機會，應對災難。如果一家公司不能夠迅速地對改變做出對策的話，那將會對運作和收益帶來壞的影響。

    4.Entrepreneurs are dedicated to their businesses.

    企業家將一切都獻給了他們的事業。

    Successful entrepreneurs are very dedicated to their businesses. They have invested so much time, energy, and emotion into their business that they want to be sure that it is successful. They differ from managers in large companies because they are working for themselves rather than working for the shareholders.

    成功的企業家對自己的事業都有獻身精神。為了確保事業能夠成功，他們投入了大量的時間，精力，感情。與大公司的經理為了股東工作不同的是，他們是為了自己工作。

    If you possess these characteristics, you should have the personality that it takes to be successful in starting your own business.

    如果你能夠做到這些的話，你就具備了成功開創自己的事業的特征了。