What are the basic skills for an entrepreneur. Every cricket team needs  a selection of batsmen, bowlers and only one wicketkeeper. A back-up wicketkeeper is good to have but not essential.

We asked in our survey the respondents to rank the traits of an entrepreneur.  The answers were, in order;

1.    Leadership

2.    Hard working

3.    Free thinking

4.    Needs must – hunger

5.    Courageous

6.    Inventive

7.    Risk taking

given that these replies were supplied by entrepreneurs it is not surprising that leadership and hard work were the leading qualities. We shall discuss risk later, but it was last!

Moving on, we asked in a free format question what characteristics were important. the answers were;

1.    Confident and responsible

Given the entrepreneur will be putting up collateral to finance the business.

2.    Integrity

Everyone will want to deal with someone they trust

3.    Decisive

You cannot linger on decisions, otherwise the boat will leave!

4.    Determined despite the odds

Able to get on with the job and blank out all other issues

5.    Single minded

Perhaps even obsessed

6.    Visionary

At last the strategic skill required to see the marketplace