Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

If you’re considering running a business from your RV, you’ve probably questioned whether you “have what it takes” to be an entrepreneur.

When we think about entrepreneurs, we often think about people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. These guys seem to have some special kind of “magic” that makes them successful. But what if you don’t feel like you have that “special sauce?"

The good news is, you don’t have to be some kind of extraordinary super-human to successfully run a business from your RV. What then, do you need? I’ve interviewed dozens of business owners, and this list is compiled from their answers. And the good news is, for the most part these skills are learnable. So don’t panic if you read the list and find yourself missing a few.

1. Passion​

I define passion as something you enjoy doing so much you want to keep doing it, even when the going gets rough. You probably have a passion for full-time RVing. That passion may be enough to keep your business going. But it will be easier if you also have a passion for the work you do.

2. Clarity​

You need a clear vision of the value you bring to your clients or customers. If you can’t articulate what you do and how it benefits your clients, then your prospective clients most likely won’t be able to see why they should hire you.

3. Consistency​

Your progress comes not from the size of the steps you make, but from consistently taking steps. You’ll need to keep taking consistent action, even (or especially) in the face of adversity.

4. Ability to sell

Many of us have a natural aversion to trying to sell things. That’s most likely because as kids we were sent out to sell for fundraisers without much training and without much belief in the importance of what we were selling. That aversion is compounded by being accosted by “sleazy salespeople” who are just intent on making the sale. The good news is that selling doesn’t have to be slimy—or hard. In fact, when you have clarity about who you serve and how you serve them, sales becomes easy. Which is good. Because, as Michael Port says, “Once you know who you serve and what you do for them, it’s your moral obligation to offer them your services."

5. Ability to embrace failure​

Many of us have been trained to avoid failure. To be a successful entrepreneur, we have to reprogram ourselves to not only accept failure, but to embrace it. It’s impossible to know everything about your market, and you will no doubt attempt some things that will fail. And that’s OK. As the old saying goes, "if you’re not failing, you’re not trying." Or in the words of Christine Kane, “What the corporate world calls ‘failure,’ an entrepreneur calls ‘market research.’

Now What?​

Do you want to know the truth? When I started my business, I didn’t have any of these except for #1 and some #3. The rest I’ve learned. And you can, too.

If you already work in your own business, do you agree with these? Are there any you would add?

If you’re wanting to go full-time RVing and are considering running a business to help finance your travels, which of these do you have? Do any of them cause you concern?

Please let me know in the comments below.