Am I An Entrepreneur? What It Takes to Start Your Own Business

To be an entrepreneur, you’re either all in, or not at all.

This is just one of the many pieces of advice Chau Nguyen, CEO and founder of HireWire, shares in this insightful interview with Chris Do.

Chau Nguyen is an entrepreneur at heart, and self-made millionaire. He exited his first company for 20 million dollars at the age of 33, without a Bachelor’s or Masters degree under his belt.

How was he able to do it?

In this video, Chau talks candidly about the pivotal decisions he’s made, the few regrets he has, and the real challenges to becoming a successful entrepreneur. If you’re curious what it takes to start your own business and be an entrepreneur, Chau lays it all out for those who want to follow a similar path.

Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone

This is one of the most important things to recognize if you’re considering an entrepreneurial path. It’s not for everyone.

As Chau explains his journey, he candidly shares the high points and low points he went through to get where he is today. Being an entrepreneur requires grit, determination, persistence, and will. When your gut tugs at you, telling you what to do, you have to trust it and nothing else.

Being an entrepreneur means that you understand there’s high risks involved, but the rewards can be just as great if you’re willing to put in the work.

Chau says it best: “You can’t have your foot on the dock and one on the boat. You’re all in or not at all.”

Focus on Value and What People Want

One of the secrets to Chau’s success with his first company, Campus Special, was his focus on value, not money. He recognized that what was best for the company came before everything else.

He adds that you shouldn’t start a company just for the sake of starting one, or because you think you have a good idea.

What you have to do to guarantee some degree of success is to recognize a problem that exists, and see if you know how to solve it. If you can recognize your skills, and put all of the moving pieces of the puzzle together to solve the problem, that’s the time to start a company.

It’s not about your idea or what you think will work. Find out what people want, and build that.

Want more?

Watch the full video to learn more about Chau’s upbringing and the risky choices he’s made to become a millionaire at the age of 33.

ABOUT

Chris Do

Chris Do is an Emmy award-winning director, designer, strategist, and educator. He's the Founder and CEO of The Futur—an online education platform that teaches the business of design to creative thinkers.

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