Last Updated on: June 24th, 2021
We all want to be successful at what we do.
We all want to be the best we can be.
In order to achieve success as entrepreneurs, we need to strive for entrepreneurial excellence.
A lot of people look at me and wonder how I went from a rape victim a drug addict, a high school dropout, and a prostitute to getting two university degrees, becoming a high school math and English teacher to owning my own business and becoming an author.
Once they read about my life journey, they know. And everyone who knows me knows that I’m all about helping others!
That is why, today, I am going to help you learn how to achieve entrepreneurial excellence!
How to Achieve Entrepreneurial Excellence
How can we achieve entrepreneurial excellence??
There are many ways. Today we are going to look at 3 which are the best ways:
1. Be an ethical entrepreneur
2. Use social media to grow your business
3. Outsource tasks / hire help
We are also going to discuss a few other factors that can enhance our success as entrepreneurs.
NOTE: The things we are going to look at today are a bit different from the other strategies you can use to improve yourself and your chances for success, which we looked at in the 3-part “Success Series.”
As a reminder, the Success Series consists of these articles:
1: How to Use Positive Affirmations to Improve Your Life
2: Use Meditation, the Law of Attraction, and Visualization to Be More Successful
3: 3 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Become More Successful
Now, let’s dive in!
“Every business is successful exactly to the extent that it does something others cannot.” ~ Peter Thiel
“Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.” ~ W. Clement Stone
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” ~ Woody Allen
Entrepreneurial Excellence – Way #1: Be an Ethical Entrepreneur
What are ethics?
Ethics are the moral principles that govern a person’s behavior and affect how people make decisions and lead their lives.
For entrepreneurs, ethics are those standards upon which businesses are run. Basically, ethics are rules of “good” that people live by.
“While you live, while it is in your power, be good.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
Are You Ethical? 8 Ways to Tell!
1: Ethical entrepreneurs set standards and lead by example.
2: Ethical entrepreneurs are fair.
3: Ethical entrepreneurs possess integrity and be honorable. They do not lie, steal, or cheat. They are honest. They stand by their word.
4: Ethical entrepreneurs treat everyone with respect. They also don’t work with people who don’t respect them. Ethical entrepreneurs build relationships and foster trust.
5: Ethical entrepreneurs are willing to admit their mistakes and correct them. They offer refunds or a discount. They fix the problem.
“Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” ~ Kevin Kruse
6: Ethical entrepreneurs keep accurate records. They don’t embezzle or manipulate their financial accounts. They obey the law at all times. They don’t want to end up in jail!
7: Ethical entrepreneurs also embrace humanity. They create clean work environments, they support the lives of workers outside of the workplace, they donate goods or services to a local charity, and they support the arts.
8: Ethical entrepreneurs also ecologically friendly. They know we all share this Earth together and so they take small steps daily in both their business practices and their lifestyle to help sustain our planet’s longevity. They do this by using sustainable materials, recycling wherever possible, and using eco-friendly cleaning products.
Some food for thought:
You’re going to face ethical dilemmas in your business. That’s a fact.
How you handle them, however, will speak volumes to your character and to your business. For example, you might be asked to give a job reference for a friend who’s clearly not qualified for the job. What would you do?
“Strive not be a success, but rather to be of value.” ~ Albert Einstein
How do you handle gossip?
The best way is… don’t give anyone anything bad to talk about!
Remember, word-of-mouth marketing is still the best type of marketing there is! If customers are happy, they are going to sing praises about you and your business!
Your customers will even use social media to do this!
Which brings me to the next point…
Entrepreneurial Excellence – Way #2: Use Social Media to Grow Your Business
After you have successfully branded your business (HINT: read my 12-Section Guide on Branding Your Business), you can use social media to grow it.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google Plus are all highly active social media networks.
Each site has different ways for growing your business, but all of them allow you to engage with others via a comment section.
- Leverage the testimonials from your satisfied customers. Include what they say on your website AND in social media posts. (HINT: read how to get testimonials from your clients and also about their massive power!)
- Be insanely helpful to others. Share things that are related to your niche, and don’t always promote your own business. This might sound counterintuitive, but it actually works the opposite way. If you constantly help others, they will become curious about you. They will visit your website. They will look at your services or product. Likely, they will then buy them, because you have built up your reputation for being helpful!
Consider this: who are you more likely to buy from? Someone who always says, “Me, me, me…”? Or someone who says, “Here is something that will help you. It’s great…”?
I know I would pick the second person!
- Start a conversation.
- Ask others to share. It’s been proven that asking helps! People need to be reminded to share things. They don’t always remember to unless they are reminded! Make sharing easy by installing sharing icons on your website, too.
- Be human. Be honest. Be vulnerable. People like REAL people, not phonies!
- Understand your customers’ needs. You can then give them what they want… which means bringing them to your website to see what your business is all about!
- Optimize your social media accounts. Link back to your website on each one.
- Use hashtags in your social media updates… but use them carefully. Use relevant hashtags pertinent to your business.
- Provide FAQs. Give your customers answers to frequently asked questions. It will save you time and allow you to answer their questions efficiently.
- Create a social media plan or posting strategy and stick to it. There is a ton of research on the internet that shows you the best times to post to each social platform. If you are targetting audiences outside your own country, you can also conduct your own regional research with a VPN to spoof or hide your IP. Additionally, you can analyze the reactions to your posts as well as the reach you get using analytics. You can even look at your posts on your Facebook page to see which times and which type of posts got you the most reach. (It will say, X number of people reached below each post. The time you posted that post will also be visible.)
“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” ~ Winston Churchill
- When you find something that works, capitalize on that.
- Host webinars. Get people to sign up for free things, then sell to them later.
- Make sure your content aligns with your message.
- Post unpopular content too. Taken from an article on Entrepreneur, “There are a few types of content that typically don’t get a lot of likes and shares, including testimonials, charity posts, press features and important blog posts. These are really important pieces of content when it comes to establishing your validity in the market, yet they aren’t the type of posts that typically get a lot of attention. Just because this type of content isn’t getting likes or shares doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be posting it. It may not be popular, but it helps build a foundation for your company.”
Entrepreneurial Excellence – Way #3: Outsource Tasks / Hire Help
Seek help when you need it! Hire someone to do tasks you would rather not do.
The key is to outsource tasks you don’t want to do so you can focus on others areas of your business!
“It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.” ~ Henry Ford
For offline work, consider hiring students. You will save money by being able to pay them a lower wage, and you will give them some extra spending money. Win-win!
For online work, you can hire a Virtual Assistant (VA). You can find qualified people for a cheap rate on sites like Fiverr and Upwork. You can also find them elsewhere, if you look hard enough.
For example, maybe you need someone to manage your social media accounts. Hire a VA. Or take a course on how to become one! (aff link)
Maybe you need someone to write blog posts for you. Hire a freelance writer (such as myself!).
Maybe you need someone to create images for you. You don’t necessarily need to hire a graphics designer for this; many people possess such skills. I learned how to create images for my blog posts using tools such as Canva and Paint. Other people use Photoshop. There are a ton of tools you can use, and a ton of people who you can hire for this.
By reducing your workload, you will be able to be more successful as both an individual AND an entrepreneur. Therefore, your entrepreneurial excellence will be more easily within reach!
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Other Factors that Can Enhance our Success and Excellence as Entrepreneurs:
Successful people possess certain characteristics.
They are driven, motivated, and hard-working.
They make good decisions. They plan things out to a T.
They manage their money properly.
They also take risks.
And they know how to deal with both stress and failure.
People don’t generally choose their careers randomly. They “select ones that provide an appropriate match for their own skills, preferences, motives, characteristics, and interests.” (Enhancing Entrepreneurial Excellence, page 9.)
Some people have a higher tolerance to stress than others. Some people even thrive off it! Take emergency room doctors, for example. These people need chaos in their lives, and find it boring when nothing happens during a shift! Other people, however, hate stress and chaos. Instead, they prefer peacefulness, serenity, and a calm environment.
This factor is known as “psychological capital and involves high levels of self-efficacy (confidence in one’s own ability to successfully complete various tasks), optimism, hope, and resilience – the ability to ‘snap back’ after setbacks. (Enhancing Entrepreneurial Excellence, page 14).
According to one article, the Top 10 Qualities of Highly Successful People are:
- Drive
- Self-reliance
- Willpower
- Patience
- Integrity
- Passion
- Connection
- Optimism
- Self-confidence
- Communication
If you fall short in one of these areas, there are things you can do increase your motivation and skills.
You can take an online course.
You can read articles for free online.
You can read books from the library.
You can hire a coach or consultant (such as myself) who can help you develop a plan of action and then help keep you accountable to that plan by speaking to them on a regular basis.
Whatever you decide to do, be sure it’s in your best interests and the best interests of your company!
If you do ALL OF THE THINGS I MENTIONED, you will be on your way toward entrepreneurial excellence!
“Talent is a pursued interest. In other words, anything you are willing to practice, you can do.” ~ Bob Ross
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” ~ Mark Twain
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.” ~ Anatole France
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” ~ Samuel Beckett
“Don’t worry about the money. Love the process.” ~ Joan Rivers
“Do not seek to change what has come before. Seek to create that which has not.” ~ David Airey
“We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~ Arthur Ashe
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ~ Confucius
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
My Personal Request + Additional Help
If you need more help in achieving excellence as a human being (not just as an entrepreneur), please use the strategies mentioned in my book, From Nope to Hope. It’s available as both an e-book and as a print book… and it contains a built-in workbook!
One final thing: PLEASE SHARE THIS!!! (On Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.!)
Hi Lorraine,
Great article, a must-read blog post for the entrepreneur. I believe this is the most inspirational blog post.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Thanks, Alex!
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this fantastic blog!
I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding
your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward
to brand new updates and will share this blog with
my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Wording Well has a donate button here.
Great post, I also like the quotes with images! Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, I believe passion is the most important thing that helps to succeed!
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you… passion is definitely necessary!
Hi Lorraine,
Really agree with way # 2. Being active in social media is a must for today’s businesses. Great write-up!
It sure is, David!
I have already heard that only those entrepreneurs that believe in success and earning billions after some time. Only this hope will give them courage to keep working harder with coming days. Entrepreneurial success depends on win-win game, our collegues benefit because of us, ignoring negative people around us, contnuous work and a dream to acheive bigger than ordinary people.
Small business is more beneficial than job recently posted…Travel With The Best Blow Dryer For Curly Hair | Fine Thin or Thick Hair
Brian, it takes years to earn billions! LOL
But I DO agree with you; it takes a lot of hard, continuous work to achieve those dreams!
Thanks for reading and commenting! And best of luck to you in all of your entrepreneurial endeavors!
Seriously one of the best blog posts I have ever read, it is definitely gonna help me in my future goals
Thank you! Good luck with your success!
This was really a very interesting and an informative read. Backlinking is indeed great for SEO and what can be a better way than doing it at well-known blog sites! And not only for SEO purposes, it also helps to build a connection between people belonging to the same industry. Thanks for the article!
So true!
Hi Lorraine,
Have dreams. Live the life you have imagined. I always believe in this saying to achieve my goals; thanks for sharing famous quotes from inspirational personalities.
You’re welcome! 🙂
Excellent article Lorraine 🙂
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” ~ Samuel Beckett ! Definitely my go-to quote when I need extra motivation after a long day!
Keep it up!
Sudhaara, I love this quote too!
Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Frankly saying I come across this article to read it only but after reading some lines, I took my notes copy and start making short notes of it. Awesome article. I really love it. This is going to really help me in boosting my overall performance as well as for my website.
Sarvan Kumar recently posted…Top 25 life booster: Dalai Lama quotes on life and happiness
Thanks. That’s good to hear!
Excellent article Lorraine 🙂
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” ~ Samuel Beckett ! Definitely my go-to quote when I need extra motivation after a long day!
Keep it up!
Paul, I love that quote too. Failure is a part of life. We might as well get good at doing it. 😉
Amazing work. Please keep continue your good work and keep posting these interesting articles. this post is very helpful, Thanks you shared great content. and please do post on Motorcycle accidents also
Hi Lorraine,
Have dreams. Live the life you have imagined. I always believe in this saying to achieve my goals; thanks for sharing famous quotes from inspirational personalities.
Hi, Anusha!
That’s wonderful. It is good to believe in these things, as they will help you achieve your goals! 🙂
All the best to you!
People don’t generally choose their careers randomly. They “select ones that provide an appropriate match for their own skills, preferences, motives, characteristics, and interests.” Thanks very much.
You’re welcome.
Actually,what you are talking about is said “one to be in comfort zone”. Generally, all people do the same thing that they choose fields in which are they masters. And I will say that this is a good thing as chances of success increases too. On the other hand, Very rarely people choose new fields and that is adventurous too.
🙂
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Hi
Thanks for sharing the information about how we can have successes in the Entrepreneurial world.
You’re welcome, Melbin!
I am completely with you when it comes to hiring people or taking help because for an entrepreneur it is hard to do all the things.
I would say that you have shared a fantastic post.
Thank you.
Mehedi Hasan recently posted…Geostorm (2017) Download Full HD Avi MP4 3gp Quality Movie
Yes, it is great to have help! Entrepreneurs cannot do everything by themselves, no matter how hard they work!
Hi Lorraine
Great Article!
I think being erhical and honest towards entrepreneurship is base of being a successful entrepreneur.
Thanks, Vivek.
I do too. 🙂
A well written post about the entrepreneurial excellence, and those images are very awesome.
johnvincentt recently posted…Best Magento 2 Marketplace Extension
Thanks 🙂
Hi Lorraine,
I am completely with you when it comes to hiring people or taking help because for an entrepreneur it is hard to do all the things.
I would say that you have shared a fantastic post.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Robin.
It’s hard to everything yourself!
Hey Lorraine
That is just an amazing post for anyone seeking success in their entrepreneur career. You do need a strong will power and persistence if you want to live your dream life. These quotes are super powerful and we human do need such kind of words from time to time.
Thank you so much for sharing.
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Jayant, thanks so much. I agree; willpower and persistence are important, regardless of what you are trying to accomplish in life!
I am glad you liked the quotes. It took me a long time to make the images! LOL
I love them, too. 🙂
Being an Entrepreneur, sometimes it’s hard to get the success because of the competition these days. I really liked how you managed to mention the quotes by the famous personalities.
Mehedi, I love the quotes too!
If you keep following the tips mentioned here, you will achieve entrepreneurial excellence, too… despite the competition!
Great job! Nice article it will definitely help to boost my blog earning. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. Good luck to you!
Hi Lorraine – This is definitely a good blog post and a lesson that every entrepreneur has to know. As you have mentioned, “Ethical entrepreneurs are willing to admit their mistakes and correct them” even I feel this is the mistakes a large number of people tends to make. We lack creativity level rather we stuck with what other people are doing. Well, you defined it clear. Thanks. I have followed you and tweeted this post.
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Piyush,
Thanks for sharing this post, for reading it, and for commenting on it! 🙂 You rock!
I’d like to say that I agree with you. Most people don’t like to admit when they are wrong, or when they have made a mistake.
This makes them less trustworthy, and that is why I like ethical entrepreneurs. I respect them more if they can admit their shortcomings.
After all, we are all human, and no one is perfect.
Hello Lorraine,
These are indeed wonderful tips to achieve entrepreneurial excellence and all these listed tips are of great help to implement on my business.
Thanks
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Sagar, thanks for the compliment. I hope your business skyrockets! 🙂
Hi Lorraine,
Great post, I also like the quotes with images! Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, I believe passion is the most important thing that helps to succeed!
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Adithya, passion is a very strong motivator, indeed!
So is money! 😉
I am glad you liked the images and quotes. It took me hours to create them.
I love them too. 🙂
Hey Lorraine,
Being an Entrepreneur, sometimes it’s hard to get the success because of the competition these days. I really liked how you managed to mention the quotes by the famous personalities.
Using the social media is one of the biggest methods to influence others. That’s what I do on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Thanks for sharing with us.
~Ravi
Hi, Ravi.
I like the quotes because they motivate people, myself included!
It’s great to see you all over social media. I admire your work ethic and your commitment to success!
It’s so true that much of success is between our ears. I have seen over and over that once a barrier is broken, so much suddenly becomes possible. I think everything starts with belief, and once we overcome doubts and fears, everything is possible!
Elizabeth WMcGlone recently posted…Hello world!
I agree with you! A lot of our success starts with our belief systems!
Yes! I think so.
Many many best wishes for your site. Thank you.
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Thanks. You too!
It’s refreshing to hear the journey you have done and how far you have come.
Your blog posts are an inspiration to many and I thank you for that!
Keep up the excellent work and never look back 🙂
Chris recently posted…Hurricane Irma extremely graphic viral videos
Thanks, Chris. 🙂
I’m doing just that! Onward and upward!
Hi Lorraine,
These Quotes and post are fantastic. It was an inspirational post for me.
Thanks for the great share.
Have a good week ahead.
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Hi, Robin.
Thanks a ton! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Have a good week too. 🙂
Hi Lorraine – This is definitely a good blog post and a lesson that every entrepreneur has to know. As you have mentioned, “Ethical entrepreneurs are willing to admit their mistakes and correct them” even I feel this is the mistakes a large number of people tends to make. We lack creativity level rather we stuck with what other people are doing. Well, you defined it clear. Thanks. I have followed you and tweeted this post.
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Hi, Mohd.
Thanks for the compliment. It’s so true, people forget to be honest! Yet honesty is appreciated by EVERYONE, especially if a person admits their mistake!
I know that I have more respect for people who are open and honest and don’t hide anything!
Thanks for sharing, too. 🙂