7 Traits of Corporate Entrepreneurs: Do You Have Them?

You see them in the media, on your Facebook or Twitter feed, through the books you read and the shows you watch. Those women, those “corporate entrepreneurs” who’ve hustled and grinded their way out of a “normal” job into the business and life of their dreams. The Oprahs, the Sara Blakelys, the Barbara Corcorans, the Sallie Krawchecks of this world…

Think about it, Oprah used to be a reporter before her big break! Sara Blakely was a fax-machine saleswoman before her Spanx invention took off! Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran had about 20 jobs, including diner waitress, before founding her multi-billion real estate company! Ellevate’s Sallie Krawcheck was a corporate executive and research analysts before becoming an entrepreneur!They were once the “corporate entrepreneur” you may now be, dreaming of success, time, flexibility, and maybe…more sleep!

If you’re a corporate entrepreneur working a regular job while building your business, being inspired by those who did it before you, dragging yourself out of bed at 5am and surviving on excessive caffeine, you’re not alone. Looking at some of the most famous women entrepreneurs who bootstrapped themselves from corporate, normal gigs to their own empires, here are 7 of their most prominent traits:

Vision. You know when your little cousin from back home tell you you must have fallen and hit your head to come up with that crazy entrepreneurial idea, that you’re a visionary. If others think you’re crazy, yet you can see beyond the way things are, then you have a vision. If you’re bent on doing a new thing others think is impossible, and the thought of burying your vision under your cubicle desk the rest of your life makes you throw up in your mouth, that’s Vision!
Grit. It’s hard to wake up at the crack of dawn to chase a dream, only to turn around, put your suit on and go earn your paycheck. It’s challenging to do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do. That’s called grit, that inner conviction, that hunger, that self-fueled energy that pushes you to work twice as hard than everyone else.
Passion. Along with the grit, comes the passion. That red-hot, fiery sense drive to accomplish your goals, no matter what. It’s what makes you smile when you want to cry, what pulls you out of bed in the morning, and what makes you want to change the world!
Comfortable with change. Pastor TD Jakes said it best: “Growth is [..] uncomfortable.” Pursuing your dreams will make you shake in your boots, introduce you to new territory, and make you stretch beyond what you thought possible. And when you combine that with holding down a job, raising a family, and doing the best you can, you’ll grow comfortable with being uncomfortable most of the time.
Determination. I’ve never met a corporate entrepreneur who’s not determined to make it happen. Despite the moments of weakness, despite the failures, the setbacks, they’re bent on finding whatever means it takes to accomplish their objectives.
Self-awareness. You’ve got to know who you are before you can stretch yourself to the end of who you are. It takes self-awareness to keep yourself grounded when battling on the career and entrepreneurial front at once. It takes knowing your strengths so you can capitalize on them, and realizing your weaknesses so you can forgive yourself and keep pushing. Most importantly, you must have charity about your purpose in order to have a true, meaningful impact.
Love. This may just be the most important trait a corporate entrepreneur can ever have. You’ve got to love yourself, love others, and love the journey! Without it, you won’t have the strength to forgive yourself, start over, appreciate the good, learn from the bad, and keep your happy as you make it happen! Without it, you won’t learn to collaborate with others in a way that makes all parties fulfilled. And without it, you won’t enjoy the process. And isn’t that really the point of it all?