Staring your own business is a big undertaking. Fortunately, there have been many entrepreneurs before you that have paved the way. You can learn a lot from these successful entrepreneurs. Consider the traits that they share that have helped them to be successful. See if you share these traits.

Trait #1: Good Money Management Skills

You must manage the company finances carefully. You need to be able to balance books and control spending. If you don’t have good money management skills, then make up for this by hiring a professional to help.

Trait #2: Value Education

While you certainly don’t have to have a wall of degrees to be successful, you do need to learn everything you can about business and your industry. Formal education is great, but you also want to get yourself out there and talk to other entrepreneurs. What you learn from them is priceless and can’t be found in a book.

Trait #3: Customer Focused

The best business people are focused on the customer at all times. Everything you do should revolve around your customers. You have to always remember that without your customers, your business wouldn’t exist.

Trait #4: Solid Reputation

In the business world, reputation is everything. Successful entrepreneurs make it a point to build a reputation that is marketable and trustworthy. Keep in mind that your reputation is one of your strongest business assets.

Trait #5: Excellent Organization Skills

Without solid organization skills, nothing else really matters. If you can’t stay on top of things because you can’t find invoices or paperwork or you are constantly forgetting appointments, you’ll never get anywhere in the business world.

Trait #6: Surrounded by a Good Team

You can’t do everything on your own. You have to put together a good team of people to help you manage and run your business. Each team member is an extension of you, so choose them carefully.

Trait #7:  Know When to Take a Break

Top entrepreneurs know that working 24 hours a day every day of the week and every week of the year is a good way to burn out fast. To combat fatigue, they know a good vacation is needed. Even if you only take a day or two off a week, find time to step away from the business and rest.

Trait #8: Expert Status

You should become known as an expert in your field. Being an expert comes with more respect and gives your business a great boost.

Trait #9: Love What You Do

You can’t be successful if you don’t love what you do. Make sure you are passionate about your chosen endeavor.

If you share these nine traits of successful entrepreneurs, then you have a good chance at success. If you don’t, then keep working towards them.