y SEES, RECENT SURVEY RESULTS Entrepreneurial THE ENTREPRENEURIAL dream clearly is alive and well in Canada. In the fall of 1985, a survey of more than 1,000 Canadians reveal- ed that exactly half of those who were not self-employed at the time wished they were. Residents of the province of Quebec and the Adan- tic Provinces were most eager to start their own businesses. Despite the growing number of women who are handling the reins of small businesses, the survey showed that men are even more eager than women to leave the life of the employee. The results also showed that the entrepreneurial spirit is strongest among young people. In fact, 60 per cent of respondents under age 34 said they would rather own their own businesses. By the time they reached age 55, however, only one third of the respondents still preferred a solo career. ATTRACTIVE ROUTE Why are so many Canadians so keen to strike out on their own? Researchers say the attraction of being one’s own boss most often proves irresistible. And that desire to sit in the chief executive’s chair evidently is enough to compensate for the dark side of entrepreneur- ship — things like long hours, the weighty responsibility of single- handed decision-making, and, especially for sole proprietors, the need to switch gears quickly to play all the positions on the small-business management team. Certainly, tens of thousands of Canadians will leave the relative security of their current jobs to take a shot at the much less certain rewards of independent business during the balance of the decade. Those who do so probably share the strong but little understood set of attitudes and characteristics that makes the owner-manager dif- ferent from the corporate execu- tive, During the past few years, small-business researchers and ad- © visers have learned quite a bit about that entrepreneuriaf mysti- que. The current rainbow of semi- nars, courses, self-help books, and advisory services aimed at boosting small-business: success is a direct result of increased understanding porate suite. Indeed, researchers say the skills and techniques of a competent executive are key to success in both small-business and corporate careers. , In addition, researchers have found that certain people probably do simply have the “right stuff’ when it comes to independent business. There is a combination of factors — some within the indi- vidual, others part of his or her environment — that prompts cer- tain people to opt more readily for independent business than others. One of the biggest problems is to figure out just who qualifies for the badge of entrepreneur and who doesn’t. Most small businesses are formed by someone who accepts the risks of new-venture initiation — yet not all small firms are en- trepreneurial, Some observers maintain that the true entrepreneur differs from most other small-business opera- tors in a significant way. The en- trepreneur takes the typical owner-manager’s innovative ap- proach to the marketplace and adds a planned strategy for achiev- ing growth and profits — much like any capable executive. But in the small-business setting, that element of strategic manage- ment sets the entrepreneur apart. STRATEGY WINS While many entrepreneurs share skills with their corporate col- leagues, many have a psychological ‘something extra’' that sets them apart from the average corporate manager. The entrepreneur's inner traits combine to create a person who is able to make a decision to go it alone. Generally, entrepreneurs thrive on their autonomy and possess a healthy ability 10 accept risks. They certainly know how to roll with the punches. And they usually are masters of persuasion when it comes to getting others ~ whether the customer, supplier or even the bank manager — to accept their point of view. At the same time, they can be more aloof than other business people, perhaps because: they tend to dislike conformity. They definitely get their strokes from what they accomplish themselves rather than by feeding off other people. Depending on the person, these traits can become either great 2. | OPENS TUESDAY! THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT VANDUSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN Oak St. at 37th, Vancouver 15,000 lights — a five acre fairyland of seasonal displays and delights. It’s VanDusen's pioneer Christmas —~ a very special experience for all ages. 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Debate continues about whether entrepreneurs indeed are born with ° WICKER this christmas! See it all while you savour the fresh seafood, pasta, market salads and traditional dishes of Loops Restaurant. Pais Fane rare} Dea TES TE MME heTac pT Tt vers, certain. traits that can give them a leg up on their small-business competitors, or whether most — if not all — of what one needs to know can be learned. ARTFUL GUESSES And it remains an art rather than a science to predict whether an individual will prove successful — before he or she invests substantial time and money in an unsatisfactory effort. Naturally, small-business resear- chers have begun to tackle some fundamental questions about en- trepreneurship. They’re looking at entrepreneurs and their tasks, what sets them apart from the business crowd — even from ranks of most small-business owner-managers, and why they start businesses in the first place. 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