Tenacity is a trait that truly defines whether a person is a real entrepreneur.
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Entrepreneurship is no easy path. While it is much easier nowadays, many people return to a day job after failing once or twice. Tenacity is a trait that truly defines whether a person is a real entrepreneur. As a social entrepreneur, this entrepreneurial path is a true test of an entrepreneur’s passion.
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One mistake that entrepreneurs often make is that they spend too much time working “in” their business.
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There is an adage that says, “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.” If you believe that, I would advise you to test that adage against your passion. Can you work endlessly on a social cause without burning out?
One mistake that entrepreneurs often make is that they spend too much time working “in” their business instead of working “on” their business. That very mistake is what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones.
This is why tenacity is a characteristic that is paramount to the entrepreneur. Some guys may try to exude masculinity to prove to others that they possess such a characteristic. Arrogance will not fill the void. There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. Many guys struggle in discerning the difference.
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The good news is that tenacity can be developed. The best way to use tenacity to your advantage is by minimizing your time to make you more productive in maximizing your results.
Sometimes, we can make our businesses too personal. The purpose of running a business is to have people work for you and entrusting them to make the right decisions. Being a control freak will not make things easier for you.
If you have a brand that you want to insure, it will probably be in your best interest to get a trademark from a company like Secure Your Trademark. Anything more may be excessive and could end up making you more unproductive.
Some businesses will hire employees while others will outsource projects to companies or freelancers. Using leverage to your advantage is essential in being successful.
This social entrepreneur has done just that in the education sector. Traditional education models have consistently delivered lackluster results to the majority. These entrepreneurs are the pioneers of alternative education and have helped thousands of people become more educated citizens.
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1. Shai Reshef
Shai Reshef is the founder and president of University of The People, the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, online and accredited university.
He has spent over 25 years in the education industry. Before founding the University of The People, he chaired KIT eLearning (the online education partner for the University of Liverpool) and the Kidum Group (an educational services company).
You may have seen him on a TED Talk or heard him on a Reaching The Finish Line episode. Shai believes that education is a right rather than a privilege, which is why he created an online education platform that makes it incredibly affordable to people around the world.
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When it comes to leverage, Shai totally gets it.
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Shai has been widely recognized for his work. He was named him by Fast Company as one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business” and also named by The Huffington Post as “The Ultimate Game Changer in Education.”
Recently, he was awarded the 2016 Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy by Prince Albert II of Monaco.
When it comes to leverage, Shai totally gets it. He used his social enterprise to leverage partnership with Yale Law School, New York University, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
As of November 2015, University of The People has accepted more than 2,500 students from 170 countries.
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In Conclusion
Social entrepreneurship is not about trying to save the world. It is about focusing your efforts on a particular cause that coincides with your passion. For this gentlemen, it is education. I also share this passion and hope to make society a better place by focusing my efforts towards this cause.
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Photo: Flickr/ Hubert Burda Media