The question we pose-and have posed for decades-is what makes an entrepreneur an entrepreneur? What traits and characteristics best describe that unique person who successfully starts and grows a business enterprise? Some believe entrepreneurship is an art while others believe it's a science. (Gerber, 2004) Author Bob Reiss, defines an entrepreneurship as "the recognition and pursuit of opportunity without regard to the resources you currently control, with confidence that you can succeed, with the flexibility to change course as necessary, and with the will to rebound from setbacks." Michael Gerber believes that "Entrepreneurs possess the ability to perceive the world as a system." This paper will try to define an entrepreneur and their characteristics and skills as well as touch on how Howard Schultz's vision and charisma helped him to be a success at Starbucks.
Mr. Schultz's success story is one any aspiring or current business owner hopes to one day recite as their own.
Entrepreneur of the Century
Dos Entrepreneurs
Starbucks Chairman Howard Shultz talks to the medi...No, he did not invent 'gourmet coffee' but in his discovery of it he was able to expand it to astronomical new levels. In researching this topic it seems that while there are multiple definitions, entrepreneurs have relatively consistent characteristics.
÷They believe that "the early bird gets the worm". When Mr. Schultz noticed the increasing orders for coffee makers at the small Seattle based coffee shop, he immediately saw opportunity. While it may have taken years, his perseverance paid off in the end.
÷They believe in signing a deal not necessarily with a pen and paper but a firm handshake and their word. The founders of the original Starbucks were longtime friends and contributed their strongest skills in the success of the coffee shops focusing primarily on quality versus profit. When Schultz came into the picture he was viewed as an outsider who...