If you want to run a successful athletic coaching business, you should begin the process by understanding the mental, psychological and behavioral characteristics needed for success. This comprehensive list of ten characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, along with key questions to ask yourself, will help you get started growing your business.
1. A Positive Mental Attitude
You will never be a successful entrepreneur without a positive attitude because you are certain to experience difficult times. Your success or failure will be determined at these times.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Are you confident you can build a successful athletic coaching business, even when things go badly?
- Do you feel good about your chances for success as an entrepreneur?
2. Enjoy Being Around People
Being a successful entrepreneur means you will continuously interact with a diverse array of people such as customers, potential customers, colleagues, competitors, suppliers, lawyers, accountants and coaches. It really helps if you enjoy being around these people.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you generally enjoy being around other people?
- Are you comfortable in most social situations?
3. Excellent Communication Skills
Exemplary communication is important because you must accurately exchange information in a fast-moving world using a variety of methods (e.g., interpersonal, electronic). Of particular importance is the ability to listen and truly understand where another person is coming from, especially if you want to be a successful athletic coach.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Can you effectively use a diverse array of communication methods (e.g., face-to-face, phone, text, email)?
- Do people generally consider you to be a good listener?
4. A Strong Desire to Achieve
Successful entrepreneurs are achievement-oriented. They value accomplishment and the intrinsic rewards that go along with achieving difficult goals. It is a strong motivator for most business owners.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you frequently set goals for yourself?
- Do you typically achieve your goals despite barriers or setbacks?
5. Resourcefulness
Most athletic coaching businesses have limited resources such as money, information and time. Successful entrepreneurs figure out how to get the most out of these resources. They are masters at stretching a dollar and making a few resources go a long way.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Are you generally able to accomplish your objectives even with limited time and resources?
- Are you effective at figuring out ways to overcome most problems and difficulties?
6. Objective
It is not easy to be objective about your business because you are passionate about making it successful. However, you do need to be impartial and dispassionate when it comes to making business decisions because emotion, bias and sentiment can result in poor choices.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Are you good at considering all facts and making objective, unbiased decisions?
- Are you willing to listen to diverse perspectives and opinions?
7. Committed
Building a successful athletic coaching business requires absolute commitment. It takes a lot of work and there will be times when you become discouraged. It is during these times that you must be steadfast, faithful and committed to your vision.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Once you start something, do you always see it through to completion?
- Do you always follow through on your commitments?
8. Dependable
There is a strong positive relationship between your perceived level of reliability and the success of your athletic coaching business. Your clients expect you to be dependable and will evaluate you on the extent to which you do what you say you will do.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you do what you say you are going to do, all the time?
- Do you keep the promises you make to others?
9. Proactive and Not Reactive
Successful entrepreneurs anticipate problems in advance and deal with them before they occur. If you simply react to problems and issues as they arise, you may get overwhelmed.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Are you typically able to anticipate potential problems and deal with them before they occur?
- Are you effective at creating and using plans?
10. Possess Technical Skills and Knowledge
Every business requires unique technical skills and knowledge on part of the owner. You have to be good at what you do for your business to succeed. This often means getting additional education and training on an ongoing basis, sometimes for the purpose of obtaining specific credentials (e.g., certifications, licenses).
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you have the certifications & credentials you need to succeed as an athletic coach?
- Do you possess the skills and expertise necessary to be a successful athletic coach?
These 10 characteristics are the foundation of a successful entrepreneur. Take the time to understand how these characteristics build on each other, and where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
