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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

  • Carmine Gallo

presentation techniques in entrepreneurship

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

presentation techniques in entrepreneurship

  • Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Presentation Techniques Smart Entrepreneurs Use

July 8, 2021

Presentation techniques are strategies every entrepreneur should know and use. Using them helps you engage your audience. They should be an integral part of how to connect with your audience when you are presenting.

Determining which technique to use is dependent on the format. Some techniques are better suited for video or audio. Others are more universal and will work in most situations.

In a previous post about presentation styles , I briefly mentioned four presentation techniques. I included them because they complement those styles. These techniques can be used in most presentation environments. Because they are flexible, I wanted to expand on what they are and some ways you can use them.

Visual Elements to Support Your Message

With each passing year, data reports indicate audiences’ preferences for visual material. When presenting content, using visuals is a key presentation technique. The visual component can encompass different things. This could be a video, a slide deck, image carousel, or infographic.

For slide decks to be more visual you want to use less text. Yes, that means moving away from bullet points. Instead, use images, graphs, or animation to support your main points. A common presentation technique is to use a background image and overlay text.

presentation techniques viaual example

Example of a visual slide using a background image with minimal text. 

While video by its very nature is visual, you want to be more than a talking head. Use text overlay at key points of the video to reinforce your message. This presentation technique provides visual interest.

An overlay will provide movement. Some studies indicate there should be movement every 3-5 seconds. Having edited video for over 10 years, that can be really time consuming.

You can use facial expressions and hand gestures to incorporate movement. Just don’t go overboard. Over exaggeration will become too distracting. Also, a mismatched visual will make you look out of touch or even insensitive.

Storytelling to Connect at a Deeper Level

As a presentation technique, storytelling is one of the most powerful you can use. This is a foundational element of being human. A great story, tugs at our emotions and sticks will us. It creates an almost instant connection with your audience.

The good part is storytelling works well in both audio and visual environments. When using this strategy, don’t over complicate it. Remember, you aren’t writing a novel. Stories can be used in a variety of ways.

If you aren’t sure how to incorporate stories as a presentation technique, think about examples and experiences you can draw upon.

  • Do you have a client whose life has been changed dramatically because of your service or product? This is often referred to as a case study.
  • What about your own story? Perhaps it is a compelling journey where you overcame an obstacle.

For more information about the effects of storytelling, check out research done by Paul J. Zak . His studies showed audience members remembered a core message better when linked with a story.

Energy Level to Keep Your Audience Interested

Have you ever watched a video or live presentation and it felt flat? This happens when a presenter’s energy level is too low. No matter how good your content, if your energy level is off, people won’t stick around to hear about it.

There is a curious phenomenon that occurs when presenting in the digital environment. A person’s normal energy level often comes across as dull or uninteresting.

The best presentation technique to combat this is to increase your energy level when recording. When I first started doing this it felt weird. In my mind’s eye, I was over the top and overly exaggerated. When I watched the video, I looked and sounded normal. The good news is that the more you do it the easier it becomes.

For live, in-person events, energy is also important. However, you want to adjust your energy level to the size of the room. Similar to theatre performances, the larger the room the more expressive you need to be.

Audience Interaction for a Compelling Experience

Audience interaction and engagement is a vital component when presenting content. In the digital environment, having audience interaction and engagement is crucial.

When presenting, either on video or stage, none of us plan to be a bland or static talking head. This important presentation technique will help you avoid being boring and a key method for keeping your audience listening and watching..

There are several ways to use audience interaction to encourage engagement. It is really dependent on how you are presenting: video, live streaming, or in-person. The amount of time you have is also a factor. The more time you have the more types of interactions you can use.

For a live virtual session, the interaction can be something simple. For instance, encouraging comments and questions in the chat feature. Grouping individuals into breakout rooms is another example. Another effective tool is a virtual bulletin board or online polling . Audiences want to share so give them the opportunity.

For a posted video, ask questions that throughout encourage some type of action. The best question format is a specific open-ended question. For instance, if you are discussing digital marketing, asking ‘What are your thoughts on digital marketing?’ is too vague. A better question is ‘What is your biggest struggle when it comes to digital marketing?’. And always ask for comments.

For in-person sessions, this can include a variety of hands-on activities. It can be simple like raising hands as an informal poll. Another effective technique, have audience members share with the person sitting next to them. For a workshop setting, a workbook or handouts to fill out as you present is another great strategy.

Being aware of different presentation techniques is important for any entrepreneur. Since we present in a variety of ways, knowing what technique works well is important. The four techniques in this post can be used in most settings. They are all intended to help you connect and engage with your audience.

Using visual elements help you convey your message. However, don’t rely on only text use images and animation to create variety. Telling a compelling story will establish a deeper connection with your audience. Don’t over complicate it. Use your own life experiences or that of customers you’ve helped. Your energy level needs to match the room. With video you need to exude more energy to avoid appearing flat. Lastly, always have the audience interact in some way. This can be a simple poll or more in-depth by answering of targeted open-ended question.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. In the comments section below answer the following question. What presentation techniques do you use and find effective in engaging your audience?

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Jennifer Sharkey is known as the Virtual Presentation Specialist. Being passionate about seeing people shine and be heard, she leans into her 20+ years of public speaking experience and uses what she has learned from presenting, both in-person and virtually, to small groups all the way up to 5000 people. Jennifer draws from her experience as an associate professor, academic librarian, and coach to help holistic coaches master virtual presentations to grow their business. Her unique immersive program provides practical strategies and methods to build confidence, engage audiences, and generate authenticity and authority.

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What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

Presentation skills are essential for your personal and professional life. Learn about effective presentations and how to boost your presenting techniques.

[Featured Image]: The marketing manager, wearing a yellow top, is making a PowerPoint presentation.

At least seven out of 10 Americans agree that presentation skills are essential for a successful career [ 1 ]. Although it might be tempting to think that these are skills reserved for people interested in public speaking roles, they're critical in a diverse range of jobs. For example, you might need to brief your supervisor on research results.

Presentation skills are also essential in other scenarios, including working with a team and explaining your thought process, walking clients through project ideas and timelines, and highlighting your strengths and achievements to your manager during performance reviews.

Whatever the scenario, you have very little time to capture your audience’s attention and get your point across when presenting information—about three seconds, according to research [ 2 ]. Effective presentation skills help you get your point across and connect with the people you’re communicating with, which is why nearly every employer requires them.

Understanding what presentation skills are is only half the battle. Honing your presenting techniques is essential for mastering presentations of all kinds and in all settings.

What are presentation skills?

Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images.

You'll make presentations at various times in your life. Examples include:

Making speeches at a wedding, conference, or another event

Making a toast at a dinner or event

Explaining projects to a team 

Delivering results and findings to management teams

Teaching people specific methods or information

Proposing a vote at community group meetings

Pitching a new idea or business to potential partners or investors

Why are presentation skills important? 

Delivering effective presentations is critical in your professional and personal life. You’ll need to hone your presentation skills in various areas, such as when giving a speech, convincing your partner to make a substantial purchase, and talking to friends and family about an important situation.

No matter if you’re using them in a personal or professional setting, these are the skills that make it easier and more effective to convey your ideas, convince or persuade others, and experience success. A few of the benefits that often accompany improving your presentation skills include:

Enriched written and verbal communication skills

Enhanced confidence and self-image

Boosted critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities

Better motivational techniques

Increased leadership skills

Expanded time management, negotiation, and creativity

The better your presenting techniques, the more engaging your presentations will be. You could also have greater opportunities to make positive impacts in business and other areas of your life.

Effective presentation skills

Imagine yourself in the audience at a TED Talk or sitting with your coworkers at a big meeting held by your employer. What would you be looking for in how they deliver their message? What would make you feel engaged?

These are a few questions to ask yourself as you review this list of some of the most effective presentation skills.

Verbal communication

How you use language and deliver messages play essential roles in how your audience will receive your presentation. Speak clearly and confidently, projecting your voice enough to ensure everyone can hear. Think before you speak, pausing when necessary and tailoring the way you talk to resonate with your particular audience.

Body language

Body language combines various critical elements, including posture, gestures, eye contact, expressions, and position in front of the audience. Body language is one of the elements that can instantly transform a presentation that would otherwise be dull into one that's dynamic and interesting.

Voice projection

The ability to project your voice improves your presentation by allowing your audience to hear what you're saying. It also increases your confidence to help settle any lingering nerves while also making your message more engaging. To project your voice, stand comfortably with your shoulders back. Take deep breaths to power your speaking voice and ensure you enunciate every syllable you speak.

How you present yourself plays a role in your body language and ability to project your voice. It also sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or looking overly tense. Instead, remain open, upright, and adaptable while taking the formality of the occasion into account.

Storytelling

Incorporating storytelling into a presentation is an effective strategy used by many powerful public speakers. It has the power to bring your subject to life and pique the audience’s curiosity. Don’t be afraid to tell a personal story, slowly building up suspense or adding a dramatic moment. And, of course, be sure to end with a positive takeaway to drive your point home.

Active listening

Active listening is a valuable skill all on its own. When you understand and thoughtfully respond to what you hear—whether it's in a conversation or during a presentation—you’ll likely deepen your personal relationships and actively engage audiences during a presentation. As part of your presentation skill set, it helps catch and maintain the audience’s attention, helping them remain focused while minimizing passive response, ensuring the message is delivered correctly, and encouraging a call to action.

Stage presence

During a presentation, projecting confidence can help keep your audience engaged. Stage presence can help you connect with your audience and encourage them to want to watch you. To improve your presence, try amping up your normal demeanor by infusing it with a bit of enthusiasm. Project confidence and keep your information interesting.

Watch your audience as you’re presenting. If you’re holding their attention, it likely means you’re connecting well with them.

Self-awareness

Monitoring your own emotions and reactions will allow you to react well in various situations. It helps you remain personable throughout your presentation and handle feedback well. Self-awareness can help soothe nervousness during presentations, allowing you to perform more effectively.

Writing skills

Writing is a form of presentation. Sharp writing skills can help you master your presentation’s outline to ensure you stay on message and remain clear about your objectives from the beginning until the end. It’s also helpful to have strong writing abilities for creating compelling slides and other visual aids.

Understanding an audience

When you understand your audience's needs and interests, you can design your presentation around them. In turn, you'll deliver maximum value to them and enhance your ability to make your message easy to understand.

Learn more about presentation skills from industry experts at SAP:

How to improve presentation skills

There’s an art to public speaking. Just like any other type of art, this is one that requires practice. Improving your presentation skills will help reduce miscommunications, enhance your time management capabilities, and boost your leadership skills. Here are some ways you can improve these skills:

Work on self-confidence.

When you’re confident, you naturally speak more clearly and with more authority. Taking the time to prepare your presentation with a strong opening and compelling visual aids can help you feel more confident. Other ways to improve your self-confidence include practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, and avoiding comparing yourself (or your presentation) to others.

Develop strategies for overcoming fear.

Many people are nervous or fearful before giving a presentation. A bad memory of a past performance or insufficient self-confidence can contribute to fear and anxiety. Having a few go-to strategies like deep breathing, practicing your presentation, and grounding can help you transform that fear into extra energy to put into your stage presence.

Learn grounding techniques.

Grounding is any type of technique that helps you steer your focus away from distressing thoughts and keeps you connected with your present self. To ground yourself, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and imagine you’re a large, mature tree with roots extending deep into the earth—like the tree, you can become unshakable.

Learn how to use presentation tools.

Visual aids and other technical support can transform an otherwise good presentation into a wow-worthy one. A few popular presentation tools include:

Canva: Provides easy-to-design templates you can customize

Powtoon: Animation software that makes video creation fast and easy

PowerPoint: Microsoft's iconic program popular for dynamic marketing and sales presentations

Practice breathing techniques.

Breathing techniques can help quell anxiety, making it easier to shake off pre-presentation jitters and nerves. It also helps relax your muscles and get more oxygen to your brain.  For some pre-presentation calmness, you can take deep breaths, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

While presenting, breathe in through your mouth with the back of your tongue relaxed so your audience doesn't hear a gasping sound. Speak on your exhalation, maintaining a smooth voice.

Gain experience.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become. The more you doanything, the more comfortable you’ll feel engaging in that activity. Presentations are no different. Repeatedly practicing your own presentation also offers the opportunity to get feedback from other people and tweak your style and content as needed.

Tips to help you ace your presentation

Your presentation isn’t about you; it’s about the material you’re presenting. Sometimes, reminding yourself of this ahead of taking center stage can help take you out of your head, allowing you to connect effectively with your audience. The following are some of the many actions you can take on the day of your presentation.

Arrive early.

Since you may have a bit of presentation-related anxiety, it’s important to avoid adding travel stress. Give yourself an abundance of time to arrive at your destination, and take into account heavy traffic and other unforeseen events. By arriving early, you also give yourself time to meet with any on-site technicians, test your equipment, and connect with people ahead of the presentation.

Become familiar with the layout of the room.

Arriving early also gives you time to assess the room and figure out where you want to stand. Experiment with the acoustics to determine how loudly you need to project your voice, and test your equipment to make sure everything connects and appears properly with the available setup. This is an excellent opportunity to work out any last-minute concerns and move around to familiarize yourself with the setting for improved stage presence.

Listen to presenters ahead of you.

When you watch others present, you'll get a feel for the room's acoustics and lighting. You can also listen for any data that’s relevant to your presentation and revisit it during your presentation—this can make the presentation more interactive and engaging.

Use note cards.

Writing yourself a script could provide you with more comfort. To prevent sounding too robotic or disengaged, only include talking points in your note cards in case you get off track. Using note cards can help keep your presentation organized while sounding more authentic to your audience.

Learn to deliver clear and confident presentations with Dynamic Public Speaking from the University of Washington. Build confidence, develop new delivery techniques, and practice strategies for crafting compelling presentations for different purposes, occasions, and audiences.

Article sources

Forbes. “ New Survey: 70% Say Presentation Skills are Critical for Career Success , https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/09/25/new-survey-70-percent-say-presentation-skills-critical-for-career-success/?sh=619f3ff78890.” Accessed December 7, 2022.

Beautiful.ai. “ 15 Presentation and Public Speaking Stats You Need to Know , https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/15-presentation-and-public-speaking-stats-you-need-to-know. Accessed December 7, 2022.

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  • How to Improve Your Presentation Skills as an Entrepreneur

presentation techniques in entrepreneurship

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This article is going to teach you all about presentations. It will acquaint you with: 1) an introduction to presentations , 2) what makes you a good presenter , 3) preparing a great presentation , 4) delivering an effective presentation , 5) tools for presentations , and 6) a conclusion .

INTRODUCTION TO PRESENTATIONS

Almost all of us have at some point or other attended a presentation of some sort. It may have been a lecture, a speech, a PowerPoint or slide show. It could have been informative, persuasive or presented to explain a concept or build goodwill.

Usually during a presentation, a presenter talks about a topic or concept to an audience and explains it using visual aids, printed matter or other such material that support his presentation. Thus a presentation is the act of acquainting an audience with an idea, concept, product or theme, by explaining and demonstrating it to the audience, with the aim of encouraging the audience to agree to and act upon the presenter’s ideas.

What Is a Presentation?

There are many ways of communicating ideas to other people, but during a presentation, the ideas are put forth by a presenter, so there is a human element involved. The presenter’s personality affects the quality of a presentation. There is an immediate interaction between the audience and the presenter, and question and answers can be exchanged. The presenter has to be prepared and aware, should have an engaging personality, and should know the topic very well to be able to give an effective presentation.

A presentation can be designed to communicate to a small group of people or a larger audience. It could be presented in a room or broadcast through media and internet across a wider area. Presentations can be used in education, business, marketing, research, and social and cultural situations. Wherever there is a need for exchanging ideas or educating about a concept, presentations can be used.

Types of Presentations

Though we tend to think of presentations more as an element of business communication, presentations are much more than that. Presentations can be used anywhere and in many different contexts. There are many different types of presentations that are used to connect to the audience and encourage them to act according to what the presenter is proposing. Based on the aim behind the presentation, they can be categorized as follows:

  • Motivational : These presentations are used to motivate the audience into doing something more than they are doing at present. These are used by leaders or people in authority to energize the audience to act. The presenters of motivational presentations are experts in their field and know how to build up a frenzy that makes the audience react in a particular manner.
  • Arousing : These presentations are designed to make the audience think about particular things. The presenter arouses the emotions in the audience to make them receptive to his/her point of view. This involves trying to build up trust, sincerity and solidarity with the audience, before including a call to action.
  • Training : These presentations are normally used to teach the participants some skills. These are used by educational institutes to train the students or teachers, or by businesses and enterprise to teach marketing and sales techniques, or to build up the leadership to take charge of a situation, etc.
  • Persuasive : These presentations are used to persuade an audience to accept the presenter’s point of view and accept whatever he or she is proposing. The presenter needs to convince the audience to support his point and alter its beliefs and actions to coincide with those of the presenter.
  • Instructional : These presentations are used to give directions or very specific orders. They are used to teach processes, or to give directions for the way a thing needs to be done. The presenter needs to have in-depth knowledge of the subject being presented, and the audience should come away with learning how to do something in a very detailed manner. These presentations can be longer than others and may be supported by reading the material to enhance the learning process.
  • Informative : These presentations are used to deliver information of some sort. They can be of two types – reporting and explaining. Reporting presentations inform an audience of developments and bring them up to date. These presentations are used in sales, marketing, research grants, etc. The explanatory presentations provide information about products, concepts, techniques, methods and explain the processes to the audience. Presenters use facts and keep the information simple for such presentations.

Not all presentations use only one technique to win over the audience. Most presentations employ elements of one or more types of presentation to succeed in connecting with the audience. So, most presentations can be said to be Multi-Purpose Presentations.

Essentials of a Good Presentation

The purpose of a presentation is to engage an audience, alter its opinion, and steer it toward the natural conclusion of the presentation which is to act upon the ideas that have been put forth. In order to be classified as good and effective, a presentation needs to have certain key features. The most important feature of any presentation is the presenter, which we will discuss in a separate section. The other essential features include:

  • Planning : This includes details such as when the presentation will be given, what the venue is, whether the presentation is a formal one and requires a formal setting or an informal one. The nature and the size of the audience, what tools you will need and the type of interaction you are expecting from the audience.
  • Content : The content and how it is delivered to the audience is very important. So a presenter needs to have an idea of what the audience wants in order to deliver content that is interesting and absorbing for them. Prepare content that is useful and interesting. Give only as much information as the audience can absorb in one sitting. Do not cram in too much.
  • Structure : Make sure that the presentation has an introduction that is engaging. The presentation should be properly structured and contain a body, summary and conclusion along with the introduction. The information should have a logical progression and should be sequenced. The pace should be easy and comfortable. Do not lose the thread and wander too far from the main topic.
  • Theme : Decide on the theme of the presentation beforehand and stick to it. A presentation need not be just verbal communication, freely use visual aids and body language to emphasize the point. You can also use the reading material to be distributed in the audience to support your argument. Prepare yourself well and know the theme intimately in order to convince the audience.
  • Method : How the presentation is going to be delivered is also important. Whether it is going to be a direct contact method or will be delivered via an audio visual medium such as a podcast, video conferencing, etc.
  • Interaction : Once the presentation is over, the audience may have questions that need answering. It is important to allow time for that, as this is the feedback for the presentation and its effectiveness. A good presenter will be able to gauge the impact of the presentation by the way the audience responds.

PRESENTATION SKILLS – WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD PRESENTER

Any presentation is only as good as the presenter. A skilled presenter is essential for a presentation to be effective. The personality and demeanor of the presenter have to be appealing to the audience for them to connect and be receptive to the ideas being presented to them. A good presenter should have all or most of the following qualities:

The Voice : This is what the audience connects to the most, as the voice is what guides them and leads them on to accept the ideas being presented. A presenter has to be aware of his or her voice, its pitch, tone and quality to make an effective presentation. It is important to pay attention to the volume of the voice, or how loud it is. The volume should be just enough for the audience to hear properly without the presenter having to shout. Good speakers know when to modulate their voice, what tone to use, when to speak softly to draw the audience in and when to raise it to emphasize a point. Speak clearly and at a pace that is neither too slow nor too fast. Varying the tone, pace and pitch of the voice helps to sustain interest.

The Body : Whenever we are communicating with one another, we use our body to emphasize what we are saying. While making a presentation, the audience is not only listening, it is also watching the presenter. So a presenter must pay attention to the body language. One of the main things to watch for is the posture. How the presenter holds himself conveys a lot, so make sure that you hold your body well, have a good posture and do not slouch. Make ample eye contact with the audience. It demonstrates interest and establishes an element of trust between the presenter and the audience. Facial expressions convey the state of mind and help to connect. Have a pleasant expression and smile often. Be friendly and warm. Do not hesitate in using gestures and hands to communicate.

The Attitude : The attitude of the presenter helps to establish a relationship and effective communication with the audience. The presenter should be open, friendly, and encouraging in order to relate to the audience better and create a trust factor. Feedback is an important part of the presentation and the effectiveness of the attitude and skills can be gauged through feedback. The presenter should encourage it by:

  • Listening : The job of a presenter is to talk, but it is also important to listen to what the audience has to say. Do not hog all the time by talking, let others come up with ideas and encourage conversation.
  • Evaluating : Evaluate what the audience has to say and determine whether it is valuable and appropriate to the presentation or not and express your views.
  • Interpreting : Explaining the questions or queries to the rest of the gathering so that it is clear to everyone present what was being asked.
  • Supporting : Encourage the members of the audience to ask questions. Be supportive of their attempts.
  • Questioning and answering : Question the inquirer to understand clearly what they wish to discover and answer the questions in as much detail as possible.
  • Probing : Get as much information as possible, continue to encourage a dialog and clarify the doubts.
  • Understanding : Understand the need of the communicator before answering. Do not ridicule a questioner. Answer the question even if it is one that has been answered before.

Demeanor : It is a daunting task to stand in front of an audience and address it. The best of us can get nervous. It is how you deal with the situation that determines how good a presenter you can be. Do not display your nervousness to the audience as it will not be taken kindly. Be confident and sure of yourself. Learn to deal with your nerves and tension.

Preparation : Be thoroughly prepared before you start. The presentation should be complete and ready to go, and you should be sure and confident of yourself and your subject matter. Be aware of your audience and what it might expect from you and prepare yourself accordingly.

Habits : Almost all of us have certain quirks and habits. A good presenter is in control of these habits and tries to overcome these, at least while addressing the audience and for the duration of the presentation. It is important to address the habits or quirks as they distract the audience and makes the presentation less effective.

Attention to Details : This is perhaps the most important of all the traits of a good presenter. Look at everything – the location, audience, the theme, message, tools, etc. in minutest detail so that there are no last minute problems that crop up to derail your presentation.

PREPARING A GREAT PRESENTATION

One can never prepare enough, and the same is true for presentations too. It is essential to be thoroughly prepared in advance. Being prepared will ensure that it progresses smoothly and that you know exactly what needs to be done at any particular time during the presentation. Being ready and prepared boosts confidence and helps to avoid problems. Here are some other points to ponder while preparing for a presentation:

  • Subject of the presentation : You need to be familiar with the subject or topic that you are going to present. Most of the time you may be able to pick the subject matter yourself, but sometimes you may be given the subject by others who are organizing the presentation. Get to know your topic intimately before you get up to present your ideas.
  • Objective of the presentation : Discover the objective of the presentation, why it is being organized, the reason behind it, and the expected outcome from the point of view of both the presenter and the audience. Once you are clear of the objective, it becomes easier to plan and execute it.
  • Audience : You have to consider the kind of people you are addressing and how it benefits them. You may need to create or modify your presentation according to the audience. The age, occupation, interests and other demographics of the audience will determine the content and the mode of presentation. The size and your familiarity with the audience are also the factors to be considered.
  • Venue of the presentation : You should find out as much about the venue as possible. It is a good idea to visit it and familiarize yourself with the place before you walk in to give the presentation. If you have a choice of venue, choose one according to the size of the audience you wish to address. It is not a good idea to have a lot of people crammed into a small room or a small audience in a large hall. Make sure that all the tools that you may want are available to you at the venue.
  • Your limitations : It is important that you are aware of your limitations so that you do not take on more than you are equipped to do. Sometimes you may push your limits and come out on top, but this is not likely to happen every time. So stay within your limits to avoid disasters and embarrassments.
  • Theme of the presentation : Decide upon the theme of your presentation, whether you wish to inform, sell, convert or just entertain the audience and stick to it.
  • Opening : Introduction to the presentation that sets the tone for the rest of the content. It should be engaging, friendly and designed to break the ice and get the audience’s attention.
  • Body : This is the main subject matter of your presentation and should be presented in such a manner as to prevent boredom and monotony. Create different segments for different ideas contained within the main body. Each segment should have its introduction, body, and summary.
  • Summary : This portion should be short and sweet and should be used to reinforce the ideas that were contained in the main body.
  • Conclusion : This should encompass all that has happened during the presentation, including the feedback and question and answer session. Pass out any additional material, contact details, etc. that you need to give to the audience during this time.
  • Editing : Once you have created a presentation, it is time to review and edit it to suit your audience and purpose. Check the language, the tone and voice, theme and ideas. Include anecdotes and stories to engage the audience. Check your captions, handouts, and other material. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Check the images and illustrations as well as print quality.
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  • The occasion
  • Your preference
  • Create your visuals : If you need visuals for the presentation, prepare them in advance. Familiarize yourself with them and where you wish to introduce them in the presentation.
  • Rehearse your Presentation : Do rehearse your presentation in front of an audience of your friends, family or co-workers, so you are familiar with it and know what you need to do when. Also the feedback you receive from your audience can help you improve upon your performance and make the presentation more powerful.
  • Follow-up : Make sure that your objectives were met. Ask people to determine how successful you were with your presentation. Get feedback, encourage people to get back to you if they have any additional queries or problems.

DELIVERING AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION

Delivering an effective presentation is an art that needs to be perfected. A good presentation has to be enthusiastic, flexible and effective, and the presenter has to be a powerful performer. The main thing to keep in mind is to be organized. Manage your text, keep cue cards or slides ready, so you know where to proceed and what to say or do next. Create keywords and mind-maps . What you do to handle your notes and cues is up to you. Find a method that works for you and stick to it. Here are some Dos and Don’ts for an effective presentation:

  • Be prepared to give a performance. Be yourself and avoid habits that may distract the audience.
  • Practice your presentation.
  • Assert yourself through your posture and presence.
  • Connect with your audience through eye contact, body language, gestures and facial expressions.
  • Do not read from handouts you have given to the audience.
  • Address the audience directly.
  • Use humor to keep the interest alive.
  • Speak clearly and enunciate the words properly. Do not speak too fast.
  • Walk and circulate around the venue, this creates proximity and encourages intimacy with the audience.
  • Discuss your objectives.
  • Do not hesitate to change your approach if you feel you are not making a connection with the listeners.
  • Time yourself. Do not exceed your time limit.
  • Most importantly believe in yourself.

TOOLS FOR PRESENTATIONS

You do not have to depend only upon manual means for presentations these days. There are many tools available that can help you to create a good, effective, and engaging presentation easily and quickly. Some of these are:

  • PowerPoint : A part of the MS Office software, PowerPoint has ruled the roost for presentations for more than 25 years. It is a presentation software where you can create slides that can include text, images and graphs to create powerful presentations. Check out these  free PowerPoint templates  by FPPT to make a great presentation.
  • Overhead Projectors : This is an older form of visual aid that is still very much in use. Acetate slides were prepared to be projected onto a screen. These have now been replaced by projectors that can take a feed from computers to display PowerPoint slides or other such software.
  • Prezi : This is a web-based presentation software that can work on most basic OS platforms. It is free for the basic version and costs $59 per annum for the pro version. It provides dynamic transitions and much more to create a professional quality presentation that can be used offline.
  • Google Presentations : This is a web-based presentation tool that is free for use. It is a pretty basic software that offers cloud-based backup and allows you to share your work and collaborate with others easily.
  • SlideShare : It is a convenient and easy way for people to share their work with the public. It is used mostly by sales and marketing people. It allows people to embed third party SlideShare into social media accounts, websites, and blogs.
  • Keynote : This is an app that has been developed for Mac devices. This is Apple’s presentation software and is a part of the iWork suite that is priced at $79. It is a simple and quick app that allows users to create professional quality presentations. It has inbuilt themes, great animations, and transitions.

These are just some of the presentation apps and software available on the net. Others include Zoho Show , AuthorSTREAM , Present.me , TimeGlider , etc.

If your goal is to improve your presentation skills, then you will have to work on yourself. The effectiveness of a presentation is directly linked to the efficacy of the presenter. You may have created a great presentation but if you do not deliver it properly, all your hard work is wasted. So, the first thing you have to do is to improve your communication skills. Be consistent and constantly practice so that you are comfortable with your presentation and can deliver it with confidence. Keep the presentation simple and straightforward. Don’t create a presentation that has too much information in it. This could confuse people. Discuss one idea at a time and explore it in depth. Pay attention to your voice, your body, and your attitude. Attend other presentations to see where you have scope for improvement and to gauge the level of competition. Most important of all, overcome your fear of public speaking and turn the nervous energy into enthusiasm for your work. Meet the audience before the presentation so you are not overwhelmed by them. Use positive thinking to get yourself into the winning zone. Always arrive early so you can relax and familiarize yourself with the audience. Once you have worked on yourself, giving a great presentation will become easier.

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5 Must-Have Presentation Skills For Entrepreneurs To Ace The Race

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presentation techniques in entrepreneurship

“ If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. ” 

Great advice from Albert Einstein. The ability to convey a viewpoint or new idea is critical for an entrepreneur. The success of their business depends on it. 

In the startup phase, presentation skills are essential in landing investors and new customers. In the growth phase, they keep the vision alive and clients onboard. And when a business is more established, entrepreneurs start aiming for high-profile investors for future expansion of the business. 

This is why their presentation skills need to be on par with the level of business they seek to gain.

So, let’s learn more about acquiring the presentation skills you’ll need to succeed:  

presentation

What is a Presentation?

In today’s world, there are many ways to communicate and exchange ideas. Doing so with a PowerPoint presentation is an effective way to do so. It is a slide show designed to convey the presenter’s message in a way that helps people understand and make it easier for them to do so. 

Creating a PowerPoint presentation can be a daunting task at first because you’re presented with just a blank presentation. But don’t worry! There are thousands of free slides which you can use to prepare an engaging presentation. With these templates, you’ll be able to save time and come up with an awesome-looking presentation in no time. 

Be that as it may, an experienced presenter will know that they can’t let the slide deck do all the talking. 

A presenter will need to be well-prepared and have in-depth knowledge of their topic of discussion. They must be able to answer any question posed by the audience to maintain credibility as an authority on the topic.

Acting as an interactive mediator between the audience and the presentation slideshow, the presenter can adeptly engage with and hold the attention of the audience.

Types of Presentations

Your intention and purpose for presenting will inform the type of presentation that will best convey your ideas. There are six general types of presentations, and once you identify your purpose, you can prepare and practice with this aim in mind. 

Also, read: 7 Outstanding Tips To Promote Your Brand On Instagram And Generate Sales

Let’s now check out the six types of presentations:

  • Instructive Presentation : If you aim to instruct the audience and give direction or specific orders, then this is the presentation type most suited to your purpose. People attend this type of presentation to gain practical knowledge and learn new skills. This presentation can run longer and may offer support materials such as manuals, guides, or workbooks.
  • Motivational Presentation : The perfect example of a motivational presentation is TED Talks. Many speakers use this platform to inform, inspire, and motivate listeners to improve their lives. And for entrepreneurs, such a presentation can tell the story of the dream and hard work that led to their company’s success. 
  • Informative Presentation : An informative presentation is all about sharing relevant information. These can be project reports, research analysis, and technical product information that are often prepared by marketing, sales, and tech teams. The focus of these presentations is on providing concise, instructive information to an engaged audience. 
  • Persuasive Presentation : When the main goal of the presenter is to sell something or persuade the audience to a course of action, this is the most effective style of presentation. Entrepreneurs use it to launch new products or convince investors to back their projects. When done right, this can secure new business or funding to grow the company.
  • Decision-making Presentation : Need a decision to be made? Well, this presentation style outlines the problems, available options for solutions, and possible outcomes. Generally found in business meetings or all-hands meetings, this presentation can efficiently and comprehensively address the issues and guide everyone involved to make informed decisions. Making use of the decision making templates for free can be another handy way of producing outstanding presentations.
  • Progress Presentation : As the name suggests, this presentation style works to report the progress being made on any campaign or project. Entrepreneurs use this format to share status updates, collected data, deadlines, tasks on priority, and other relevant information. In short, it is a kind of team stand-up presentation where all members can discuss the agenda about the progress to move forward.

To figure out the right presentation style for you, ask yourself: Am I addressing friends, colleagues, or clients? Am I entertaining, or informing, or both? Answering these questions helps you choose the best type of presentation. From there, it’s all about using the right skill set to present the very best. 

Also, read: This Himachali Woman Offers Sustainable Products Obtained Directly From The Mountains

5 Essential Presentation Skills for Entrepreneurs

Let’s now move on to the five essential presentation skills for entrepreneurs.

1. Know Your Audience

presentation audience

To be familiar with the target audience is of the utmost importance for a presenter – what are their questions and queries, what hits close to their heart, what makes them tick? If the presenter can cover these areas successfully, there is a better chance that their message will resonate with their audience.  

To be successful and connect with customers, entrepreneurs will need to know their audience well. Knowing the target audience is one of the most important rules in the book. If you don’t know the market, how do you know what’s in demand, or what customers need? And if you don’t know this, how can you provide anything useful or valuable?

2. Establish Your Content Credibility

No matter how accomplished a speaker, or however well-known, presenters should never assume their audience finds them trustworthy. Every single presentation needs to be demonstratively credible. Present facts and figures; provide substantiation to any claims.

Know your agenda. Be prepared. 

3. Inspire the Audience with Your Vision

presentation inspire audience

Being able to share your achievements with the goal of inspiring people is an art form of its own. There is a very thin line between wanting to show people they can achieve more because you were able to do it and just plain bragging. 

Aim to motivate and inspire your audience with some real tips that worked for you. Make sure that these tips are attainable and realistic. It’s also important to consider if the tips that you’ll be giving them are within their capabilities. Sometimes, some speakers tend to overlook the privilege they have when they give other people tips.

4. Use Stats and Facts to Address the Issue

In this new era, everyone wants to save time and resources and is open to seeing things in interesting new ways. If an entrepreneur’s presentation can tap into all these things, it will stand out and be a topic of discussion long after the presentation is over. 

To achieve this satisfying goal, one needs to have a solid presentation based on facts and statistics. The audience should be able to see and get the hang of the data quickly.

This is where skills in making infographics come in handy. Infographics are a great way to summarize data and present them in a visually appealing way. You make it easier for people to digest information and make it interesting at the same time.

5. Adjust to Your Audience Accordingly

A good presenter needs to know how to interpret the non-verbal cues offered by the audience. As the presentation progresses, the presenter needs to read the audience, make adjustments, and reconnect on the spot.

Keep in mind your audience’s expectations. Since each audience is unique, each presentation will have its own flow.

Presentation settings, such as the setup of the conference room, will highly influence how well the audience hears you. Age, gender, religion, class, education, job type, etc., are major demographic factors that a presenter must factor in. 

An entrepreneur’s presentation skills will determine their ability to lead and inspire others to share in their vision. The effectiveness of a presentation is directly proportional to the proficiency of the presenter.

You can work hard to prepare your presentation, but if your delivery is at all lacking, your message will miss the mark.   

So, hone your skills and thoroughly familiarize yourself with the audience and topic of discussion. Everything else will fall into line.

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Entrepreneurial Skills

The skills you need to start a great business.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

presentation techniques in entrepreneurship

Are you thinking about setting up your own business? If the answer is yes, you're not alone. The pandemic may have laid waste to great swathes of industry, but it's fueled an extraordinary surge in startups and new small businesses, as those laid off from affected firms explore new opportunities.

Reports from the U.S., Japan and across Europe show record-breaking levels of business registrations. [1] For example, figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that new business registrations in July 2020 were 95 percent higher than during the same period in 2019. [2]

But what does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? Whether you've seen an exciting gap in the market, or feel forced to reassess your career following job loss, this article explores the skills you need to make it as an entrepreneur. It also signposts resources that you can use to develop the skills required for success.

What Are Entrepreneurial Skills?

Entrepreneurial skills are those normally associated with being an entrepreneur, although anyone can develop them.

Being an entrepreneur usually means starting and building your own successful business, but people with entrepreneurial skills can thrive within larger organizations, too.

Many researchers have studied entrepreneurial skills, but found no definitive answers. Some common themes are:

  • Personal characteristics.
  • Interpersonal skills.
  • Critical and creative-thinking skills.
  • Practical skills and knowledge.

Regardless of how you define it, entrepreneurship isn't easy. So be prepared to do the "hard yards," even after you've learned the skills we describe below.

The following sections examine each skill area in more detail, and look at some of the questions you'll need to ask yourself if you want to become a successful entrepreneur.

The Personal Characteristics of an Entrepreneur

Do you have the mindset to be a successful entrepreneur? For example, entrepreneurs tend to be strongly innovative in outlook, and they may take risks that others would avoid.

Examine your own personal characteristics, values and beliefs, and ask yourself these questions:

  • Optimism: Are you an optimistic thinker? Optimism is an asset, and it will help you through the tough times that many entrepreneurs experience as they find a business model that works for them.
  • Initiative: Do you have initiative, and instinctively start problem-solving or business-improvement projects?
  • Drive and persistence: Are you self-motivated and energetic? And are you prepared to work hard, for a very long time, to realize your goals?
  • Risk tolerance: Are you able to take risks, and make decisions when facts are uncertain?
  • Resilience: Are you resilient, so that you can pick yourself up when things don't go as planned? And do you learn and grow from your mistakes and failures? (If you avoid taking action because you're afraid of failing, our article, Overcoming Fear of Failure , can help you to face your fears and move forward.)

Entrepreneurial Interpersonal Skills

As an entrepreneur, you'll likely have to work closely with others – so it's essential that you're able to build good relationships with your team, customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors, and other stakeholders.

Some people are more gifted in this area than others, but you can learn and improve these skills.

Evaluate your people skills by taking our How Good Are Your People Skills? self-test.

The types of interpersonal skills you'll need include:

  • Leadership and motivation: Can you lead and motivate others to follow you and deliver your vision? And are you able to delegate work to other people? As an entrepreneur, you'll have to depend on others to get beyond the early stages of your business – there's just too much to do by yourself!
  • Communication skills: Are you skilled in all types of communication? You need to be able to communicate well to sell your vision of the future to a wide variety of audiences, including investors, potential clients and team members.
  • Listening: Do you hear what others are telling you? Your ability to listen and absorb information and opinions can make or break you as an entrepreneur. Make sure that you're skilled at active and empathic listening .
  • Personal relationships: Do you have good "people skills"? Are you self-aware, good at regulating your emotions, and able to respond positively to feedback or criticism? Our article, Emotional Intelligence , offers a range of strategies for developing these crucial attributes.
  • Negotiation: Are you a strong negotiator? Not only do you need to negotiate favorable prices, but you'll also need to resolve differences between people in a positive, mutually beneficial way.
  • Ethics: Do you deal with people based on respect, integrity, fairness, and trust? Can you lead ethically? You'll find it difficult to build a happy, productive business if you deal with staff, customers or suppliers in a shabby way.

Many startups are single-owner ventures, or small numbers of friends or family members looking to make it together. For information on how to work or manage in these micro- or family enterprises, see these useful Mind Tools resources:

  • How to Manage People in a Micro Business
  • Working in a Family Business
  • Managing in a Family Business
  • Working for a Small Business

Critical and Creative-Thinking Skills for Entrepreneurs

As an entrepreneur, you need to come up with fresh ideas, and make good decisions about opportunities and potential projects.

Many people think that you're either born creative or you're not. But creativity is a skill that you can develop, and there are many tools available to inspire you.

  • Creative thinking: Are you able to see situations from a variety of perspectives to generate original ideas? Tools like the Reframing Matrix can help you to do this.
  • Problem solving: You'll need sound strategies for solving business problems that will inevitably arise. Tools such as Cause & Effect Analysis , the 5 Whys technique, and CATWOE are a good place to start.
  • Recognizing opportunities: Do you recognize opportunities when they present themselves? Can you spot a trend? And are you able to create a workable plan to take advantage of the opportunities you identify?

Practical Entrepreneurial Skills and Knowledge

Entrepreneurs also need solid practical skills and knowledge to produce goods or services effectively, and to run a company.

  • Goal setting: Setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) will focus your efforts and allow you to use your time and resources more effectively.
  • Planning and organizing: Do you have the talents, skills and abilities necessary to achieve your goals? Can you coordinate people to achieve these efficiently and effectively? Strong project-management skills are important, as are basic organization skills. And you'll need a coherent, well thought-out business plan , and the appropriate financial forecasts .
  • Decision making: Your business decisions should be based on good information, evidence, and weighing up the potential consequences. Core decision-making tools include Decision Tree Analysis, Grid Analysis, and Six Thinking Hats .

Take our self-test, How Good Is Your Decision Making? , to learn more.

You need knowledge in many different areas when you're starting or running a business, so be prepared for some serious learning!

Be sure to include:

  • Business knowledge: Ensure that you have a working knowledge of the main functional areas of a business: sales, marketing, finance, and operations. If you can't fulfilll all these functions yourself, you'll need to hire others to work with you, and manage them competently.
  • Entrepreneurial knowledge: How will you fund your business, and how much capital do you need to raise? Finding a business model that works for you can require a long period of experimentation and hard work.
  • Opportunity-Specific Knowledge: Do you understand the market you're attempting to enter, and do you know what you need to do to bring your product or service to market?
  • Venture-Specific Knowledge: Do you know what it takes to make this type of business successful? And do you understand the specifics of the business that you want to start?

You can also learn from others who've worked on projects similar to the ones that you're contemplating, or find a mentor – someone else who's been there before and is willing to coach you.

As an entrepreneur, you must also learn the rules and regulations that apply in the territory or territories that you're operating in. These websites may be useful:

  • Australia – Business.gov.au
  • Canada – Canada Business Network
  • India – startupindia
  • United Kingdom – GOV.UK
  • United States – U.S. Small Business Administration

Working in a business like the one you want to launch is a great way to learn the ropes. But be aware of non-compete clauses in your employment contract. In some jurisdictions, these clauses can be very restrictive. You don't want to risk your future projects by violating the rights of another entrepreneur or organization.

Is Entrepreneurship Right for You?

Before you proceed with your plan to become an entrepreneur, assess your skills against all of the questions and considerations above. Use a Personal SWOT Analysis to examine your Strengths and Weaknesses, your Opportunities, and the Threats that you may face.

Be honest with yourself about your motivations and the level of commitment you're prepared to give to your project. This could prevent you from making a costly mistake.

As you work through your analysis, you may feel that you're ready to plunge into your exciting new venture. Alternatively, you may decide to wait and further develop your skills. You may even decide that entrepreneurship isn't for you after all.

Becoming an entrepreneur is an important career decision, so avoid the temptation to act impulsively. Do your homework. Reflect on your needs, your objectives, and your financial and personal circumstances. Entrepreneurialism can take a huge amount of time and dedication, so make sure that it feels right.

While there's no single set of traits or skills for being a successful entrepreneur, there are many that you can learn to help you succeed.

These can be divided into four broad categories:

Examine your own strengths and weaknesses in these areas and assess the time and commitment you'll need to get "up to speed."

Take time to decide whether this is the right path for you.

[1] Forbes (2021). Pandemic Fuels Global Growth Of Entrepreneurship And Startup Frenzy [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 23, 2022.]

[2] U.S. Census Bureau. Business Formation Statistics [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 23, 2022.]

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The importance of entrepreneurial skills

12 essential entrepreneurial skills

More entrepreneurial hard skills to brush up on

How to improve your entrepreneurial skills, lead a successful business (and life).

Successful entrepreneurs are often jacks of all trades — and never experts at none. 

Running your own business means you have to pull from a deep toolbox of hard and soft skills to push your business off the ground and keep it growing. But because entrepreneurs are constantly on call and keep never-ending to-do lists, it can be difficult to prioritize learning the entrepreneurship skills that will help you and your business stay healthy. 

Whether you’re getting ready to transform your side hustle into a new business or want to audit your current skill set to improve your ability to lead , working on your transferable skills is a great way to bolster a growth mindset . And though you can’t master everything, building well-rounded know-how will empower you and your teams to support the business. 

As an entrepreneur , your responsibilities may feel never-ending and all-encompassing. After all, turning your dreams into a successful business doesn’t happen overnight — and once your business begins to gain traction, the work required to keep the lights on never ceases.

Business leaders with an entrepreneurial spirit must accept this challenge and continuously make calculated and informed decisions to keep their business plans moving forward.

It’s up to you to identify opportunities, make smart decisions , and chart the course when challenges arise. And as your startup grows, you must learn to effectively allocate your resources and create value propositions for your employees and clients. 

But don’t worry — this hard work pays off. According to the U.S. Business Administration Office of Advocacy, small businesses employ 46.4% of private sector U.S. employees , meaning business owners stimulate local economies and create important lifelines for local communities. Here are a few other ways your entrepreneurial skills leave a positive impact:

  • Entrepreneurs can drive social change and create products and services that improve lives
  • Disruptive innovation stimulates economic growth and opens new markets for other entrepreneurs
  • Great entrepreneurs grow together with their employees, providing valuable personal and professional development opportunities
  • Working on your skills builds adaptability and dynamism , allowing you to work efficiently alone and as part of a team
  • Building your entrepreneurial ability helps you set realistic goals and hit objectives, which can fill you with purpose and boost your satisfaction with life

While you don’t have to excel at everything, developing a breadth of know-how helps you delegate tasks realistically and empathize with your employees

(D2C) BetterUp Blog - elevate potential_half size_v2

12 essential entrepreneurial skills 

Getting a business off the ground and moving is no small task. In a world of ever-changing market trends and economic challenges, you have to think on your feet without losing sight of your company mission . Be ing able to switch from one competency to another is crucial to maintaining a solid business foundation. 

The following skills aren’t exclusive to entrepreneurs — they’re indispensable to any industry and job role. If you’re getting ready to make the transition to entrepreneurship, you may be surprised by how many transferable skills you already have under your belt.

Of course, others may need a little cultivation or refining. But fine-tuning them will ensure you’re qualified to roll with the punches and keep your business moving forward. 

Here are 12 key skills every entrepreneur should strive for:

Budgeting: All business ideas are limited by budgets. Successful entrepreneurship requires a firm grip on your business’s financial reality, which means learning to manage budgets , analyze financial data, and understand cash flow patterns. 

This knowled ge is invaluable to your business’ security, as it facilitates sound decision-making and allows you to build realistic action plans for investments, expansions, and cuts.

close-up-of-rolled-up-bills-a-notebook-a-calculator-and-a-pen-entrepreneurial-skills

Problem-solving : Entrepreneurship has no finish line, no matter the industry. Your business journey will be chock-full of new challenges and obstacles requiring problem-solving and critical-thinking skills . Strategic thinking is what allows you to step back from today’s problems and see the bigger picture, aligning short-term goals with long-term objectives . 

Communication skills: Business owners are the voice of their companies. Whether you’r e emailing a client , delivering an elevator pitch to a potential investor , or delegating tasks on Slack, practicing adaptability in tone and delivery is essential to effective communication , no matter the scenario. 

Time management: With so many responsibilities and decisions to make each day, you might feel like several tasks are competing for your time and attention. Learning to manage your time and leave r oom for flexibility provides you with the necessary structure to move through your day without wasted resources or missed deadlines. 

Creative thinking: The business landscape i s ever-changing, and adaptability is essential to staying competitive. An entrepreneurial mindset means inserting creative thinking into every aspect of your business strategy, from differentiating your products from the competition to creating incentives that retain the best talent . 

Practice keeping an open mind by challenging traditional ideas, embracing new perspectives, and encouraging experimentation. It’ll keep your teams inspired and your business forward-thinking. 

Leadership skills: As the head of the company, your team looks to you to set the tone. Whether you demonstrate a strong work ethic or cut corners, your behavior tells your employees what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.

Leadership is a 24/7 responsibility, but fostering a positive and productive work environment will pay off in strong collaboration and continuous improvement from your teams. 

Management skills: While you may be tempted to juggle a dozen roles, you (and your mental health ) can’t do it all. When small-scale day-to-day tasks constantly occupy your time, b ecoming a future-minded leader is difficult.

As your business grows, building structures that allow your employees to thrive and take on more responsibilities is vital. That way, you can delegate to your growing team and dedicate more time to overseeing long-term planning.

Decision-making: As the head of the business, your days are fraught with important decisions. Successful entrepreneurs mix analytical thinking and intuition, as they may face situations with limited information or uncertain results. Learning to weigh pros and cons, consider risks, and surround yourself with diverse perspectives empowers you to navigate complexities confidently. 

Networking: Hard work is just one part of the equation to keep your business healthy. The relationships you cultivate are the other. After all, your familiarity with industry peers, potential partners, and clients keeps your business on people’s minds.

Regular networking helps you gain insights into your target market, stay up-to-date on emerging trends, and open doors to new opportunities.

man-and-woman-shaking-each-other-hand-outside-office-entrepreneurial-skills

Collaboration: You depend on your teams to keep business moving forward, so you need to arm yourself with tools to give them support and guidance. Demonstrating gratitude , open-mindedness, and reliability are interpersonal skills that build the trust that keeps your workforce productive. 

Active listening:  Team members want to feel heard a nd respected. After all, we all dedicate a lot of time and energy to our jobs. Workers who feel understood are more productive , so aim to practice emotional intelligence and value your team’s work-life balance . You’ll see hap pier and more effective teams. 

Public speaking: Management is the face of the company. Throughout your career, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to speak in front of a crowd. Whether delivering a TED Talk or l eading a team meeting, you can motivate and inspire people to rally around your vision. 

Hard skills are explicit knowledge that helps you perform specific tasks. Most people learn technical skills through formal education and refine them through supplemental training and on-the-job experiences. 

Here are 15 of the most important skills that’ll come in handy while building your business: 

  • Social media 
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Inbox management
  • Basic financial knowledge
  • Sales and negotiation
  • Digital marketing
  • Market research and analysis
  • Project management
  • Customer service and management
  • Data analysis
  • Legal and regulatory compliance
  • Supply chain management
  • Basic computer skills
  • Presentation development

woman-recording-herself-with-ring-light-and-tripod-entrepreneurial-skills

Entrepreneurship is a commitment that requires continuous learning and skill refinement. When you’re ready, choose from the entrepreneurship examples above and get to work on your skills. 

Here are a few tips to help you constantly improve your ability to lead a business: 

Take online courses: There’s a class for every aspect of business management. Quick courses in social media advertising, financial forecasting, and supply chain optimization can help you develop your skill set. 

Even if you don’t directly oversee a specific task, developing a working knowledge can improve your collaboration with other departments and your ability to make informed decisions with your team.

woman-sitting-in-stairs-outdoors-taking-online-class-with-laptops-and-headphones-entrepreneurial-skills

  • Seek out mentors: You’re not alone in the business world. Plenty of entrepreneurs have already navigated decisions that are brand new to you. Mentors can provide you with a sense of connection and bolster your confidence. Tapping into an experienced professional network can give you the clarity to help you move forward, no matter your business situation. 
  • Create a practice plan: You don’t have to learn everything at once. Identify the most pertinent skills to your success, and create a plan to refine them. This could mean being more conscientious of writing clear communications, regularly showing gratitude, or attending a seminar every month. Regardless of your goals, practice and consistency make perfect. 
  • Join a local business organization: Running a business is difficult, but having the support of colleagues navigating similar professional spheres can help you maintain your sense of purpose. Local business associations are also great places to network, stay up-to-date on trends, and find new opportunities. 
  • Work with a coach: Entrepreneurs provide constant guidance to their teams, and they benefit from the same support. Coaches are incredible allies to entrepreneurs, and they can assist you in setting clear goals and staying on track to reach your wellness and professional objectives. 

If you have the characteristics of an entrepreneur , you already possess valuable soft skills, including passion, drive, and self-confidence. Now it’s time to level up your entrepreneurial skills and equip yourself with the tools to transform your dreams into reality.

Practicing time management, learning to lead a team, and developing know-how about various business management topics can all help push your business forward. And as your company grows and earns successes, so will you.

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Elizabeth Perry

Content Marketing Manager, ACC

The 12 best business podcasts and why to tune in

10 essential business skills that make an impact on your career, 10 characteristics for becoming a successful entrepreneur, the unspoken language of business casual clothing, what business acumen is and 9 ways to develop it, business coaching: maximizing your company’s potential, create smart kpis to strategically grow your business, 9 of the best jobs with a business degree, why is there a labor shortage 5 ways it could impact you, similar articles, cultivate the top 10 office skills to improve your resume, do you have an entrepreneurial spirit 10 characteristics to lean into, entrepreneurial mindset: what is it & how to think like an entrepreneur, what is an entrepreneur understanding the different types and examples of entrepreneurship, want to find your inner entrepreneur 13 tips to get started, 41 tips to stay motivated even when it gets tough, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a  great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information  40% more accurately  than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

  • Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
  • How  knowledgeable the audience  already is on the given subject
  • How much interaction you want from the audience
  • Any time constraints there are for your talk
  • What setting you are in
  • Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

  • What is your presentation’s aim?
  • Who are the audience?
  • What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

Good presentation structure is important for a presentation

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on  How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

  • Introduce your general topic
  • Explain your topic area
  • State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
  • State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
  • Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
  • Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

  • The length of the talk.
  • Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
  • If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a  sales pitch  may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

  • Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
  • Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
  • Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
  • Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

  • Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
  • Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
  • Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
  • Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
  • Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to  ask any questions  they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Questions being asked after a presentation

Other common presentation structures

The above was a description of a basic presentation, here are some more specific presentation layouts:

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

  • Explain why the product is valuable.
  • Describe why the product is necessary.
  • Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
  • Demonstrate the product  to support what you’ve been saying.
  • Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

  • Briefly frame the issue.
  • Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
  • Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
  • Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating  stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success  webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

  • Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

  • Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
  • Rebut your opponents’ solutions  – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
  • After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done  using speech transitions  which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

  • Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
  • First, let’s begin with…
  • I will first cover…
  • My first point covers…
  • To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

  • In the same way…
  • Likewise…
  • Equally…
  • This is similar to…
  • Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

  • What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
  • What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
  • How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
  • What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

  • Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
  • For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
  • You discuss your second point from the centre again.
  • You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
  • The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

  • An intro slide outlining your ideas
  • A  summary slide  with core points to remember
  • High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

  • Don’t over fill them  – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
  • A picture says a thousand words  – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
  • Make them readable  – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
  • Don’t rush through slides  – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a  10-20-30 rule :

  • There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
  • The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
  • The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

  • 7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
  • 11 design tips for beautiful presentations
  • 10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices.  Clean transitioning between speakers  is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

  • Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
  • Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
  • Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
  • The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO  Eric Schmidt  demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and  practising your talk  beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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1.1: Chapter 1 – Introduction to Entrepreneurship

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  • Page ID 21253

  • Lee A. Swanson
  • University of Saskatchewan

Whilst there is no universally accepted definition of entrepreneurship, it is fair to say that it is multi-dimensional. It involves analyzing people and their actions together with the ways in which they interact with their environments, be these social, economic, or political, and the institutional, policy, and legal frameworks that help define and legitimize human activities. – Blackburn (2011, p. xiii)

Entrepreneurship involves such a range of activities and levels of analysis that no single definition is definitive. – Lichtenstein (2011, p. 472)

It is complex, chaotic, and lacks any notion of linearity. As educators, we have the responsibility to develop our students’ discovery, reasoning, and implementation skills so they may excel in highly uncertain environments. – Neck and Greene (2011, p. 55)

Learning Objectives

  • Examine the challenges associated with defining the concepts of entrepreneur and entrepreneurship
  • Discuss how the evolution of entrepreneurship thought has influenced how we view the concept of entrepreneurship today
  • Discuss how the list of basic questions in entrepreneurship research can be expanded to include research inquiries that are important in today’s world
  • Discuss how the concepts of entrepreneurial uniqueness, entrepreneurial personality traits, and entrepreneurial cognitions can help society improve its support for entrepreneurship
  • Apply the general venturing script to the study of entrepreneurship

This chapter provides you with an overview of entrepreneurship and of the language of entrepreneurship. The challenges associated with defining entrepreneur and entrepreneurship are explored, as is an overview of how entrepreneurship can be studied.

The objective is to enable you to apply current concepts in entrepreneurship to the evaluation of entrepreneurs, their ventures, and the venturing environment. You will develop skills, including the capability to add value in the new venture sector of the economy. You will acquire and practice evaluation skills useful in consulting, advising, and making new venture decisions.

Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurship

Considerations influencing definitions of entrepreneur and entrepreneurship.

It is necessary to be able to determine exactly who entrepreneurs are before we can, among other things, study them, count them, provide special loans for them, and calculate how and how much they contribute to our economy.

  • Does someone need to start a business from scratch to be called an entrepreneur?
  • Can we call someone an entrepreneur if they bought an ongoing business from someone else or took over the operations of a family business from their parents?
  • If someone starts a small business and never needs to hire employees, can they be called an entrepreneur?
  • If someone buys a business but hires professional managers to run it so they don’t have to be involved in the operations, are they an entrepreneur?
  • Is someone an entrepreneur if they buy into a franchise so they can follow a well-established formula for running the operation?
  • Is someone an entrepreneur because of what they do or because of how they think?
  • Can someone be an entrepreneur without owning their own business?
  • Can a person be an entrepreneur because of the nature of the work that they do within a large corporation?

It is also necessary to fully understand what we mean by entrepreneurship before we can study the concept.

Gartner (1990) identified 90 attributes that showed up in definitions of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship provided by entrepreneurs and other experts in the field. The following are a few of these attributes:

  • Innovation – Does a person need to be innovative to be considered an entrepreneur? Can an activity be considered to be entrepreneurial if it is not innovative?
  • Activities – What activities does a person need to do to be considered an entrepreneur?
  • Creation of a new business – Does someone need to start a new business to be considered to be an entrepreneur, or can someone who buys a business, buys into a franchise, or takes over an existing family business be considered an entrepreneur?
  • Starts an innovative venture within an established organization – Can someone who works within an existing organization that they don’t own be considered an entrepreneur if they start an innovative venture for their organization?
  • Creation of a not-for-profit business – Can a venture be considered to be entrepreneurial if it is a not-for-profit, or should only for-profit businesses be considered entrepreneurial?

After identifying the 90 attributes, Gartner (1990) went back to the entrepreneurs and other experts for help in clustering the attributes into themes that would help summarize what people concerned with entrepreneurship thought about the concept. He ended up with the following eight entrepreneurship themes:

1. The Entrepreneur – The entrepreneur theme is the idea that entrepreneurship involves individuals with unique personality characteristics and abilities (e.g., risk-taking, locus of control, autonomy, perseverance, commitment, vision, creativity). Almost 50% of the respondents rated these characteristics as not important to a definition of entrepreneurship (Gartner, 1990, p. 21, 24).

  • “The question that needs to be addressed is: Does entrepreneurship involve entrepreneurs (individuals with unique characteristics)?” (Gartner, 1990, p. 25).

2. Innovation – The innovation theme is characterized as doing something new as an idea, product, service, market, or technology in a new or established organization. The innovation theme suggests that innovation is not limited to new ventures, but recognized as something which older and/or larger organizations may undertake as well (Gartner, 1990, p. 25). Some of the experts Gartner questioned believed that it was important to include innovation in definitions of entrepreneurship and others did not think it was as important.

  • “Does entrepreneurship involve innovation?” (Gartner, 1990, p. 25).

3. Organization Creation – The organization creation theme describes the behaviors involved in creating organizations. This theme described acquiring and integrating resource attributes (e.g., Brings resources to bear, integrates opportunities with resources, mobilizes resources, gathers resources) and attributes that described creating organizations (new venture development and the creation of a business that adds value). (Gartner, 1990, p. 25)

  • “Does entrepreneurship involve resource acquisition and integration (new venture creation activities)?” (Gartner, 1990, p. 25)

4. Creating Value – This theme articulated the idea that entrepreneurship creates value. The attributes in this factor indicated that value creation might be represented by transforming a business, creating a new business growing a business, creating wealth, or destroying the status quo.

  • “Does entrepreneurship involve creating value?” (Gartner, 1990, p. 25).

5. Profit or Nonprofit

  • “Does entrepreneurship involve profit-making organizations only” (Gartner, 1990, p. 25)?
  • Should a focus on growth be a characteristic of entrepreneurship?

7. Uniqueness – This theme suggested that entrepreneurship must involve uniqueness. Uniqueness was characterized by attributes such as a special way of thinking, a vision of accomplishment, ability to see situations in terms of unmet needs, and creates a unique combination.

  • “Does entrepreneurship involve uniqueness?” (Gartner, 1990, p. 26).

8. The Owner-Manager – Some of the respondents questioned by Gartner (1990) did not believe that small mom-and-pop types of businesses should be considered to be entrepreneurial. Some respondents felt that an important element of a definition of entrepreneurship was that a venture be owner-managed.

  • To be entrepreneurial, does a venture need to be owner-managed?

Examples of Definitions of Entrepreneur

An entrepreneur can be described as “one who creates a new business in the face of risk and uncertainty for the purpose of achieving profit and growth by identifying significant opportunities and assembling the necessary resources to capitalize on them” (Zimmerer & Scarborough, 2008, p. 5).

An entrepreneur is “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise” (Entrepreneur, n.d.).

Examples of Definitions of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship can be defined as a field of business that

seeks to understand how opportunities to create something new (e.g., new products or services, new markets, new production processes or raw materials, new ways of organizing existing technologies) arise and are discovered or created by specific persons, who then use various means to exploit or develop them, thus producing a wide range of effects (Baron, Shane, & Reuber, 2008, p. 4)

A concise definition of entrepreneurship “is that it is the process of pursuing opportunities without limitation by resources currently in hand” (Brooks, 2009, p. 3) and “the process of doing something new and something different for the purpose of creating wealth for the individual and adding value to society” (Kao, 1993, p. 70)

The Evolution of Entrepreneurship Thought

This section includes an overview of how entrepreneurship has evolved to the present day.

The following timeline shows some of the most influential entrepreneurship scholars and the schools of thought (French, English, American, German, and Austrian) their perspectives helped influence and from which their ideas evolved. Schools of thought are essentially groups of people who might or might not have personally known each other, but who shared common beliefs or philosophies.

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Figure 1 – Historical and Evolutionary Entrepreneurship Thought (Illustration by Lee A. Swanson)

The Earliest Entrepreneurship

The function, if not the name, of the entrepreneur is probably as old as the institutions of barter and exchange. But only after economic markets became an intrusive element of society did the concept take on pivotal importance. Many economists have recognized the pivotal role of the entrepreneur in a market economy. Yet despite his central importance in economic activity, the entrepreneur has been a shadowy and elusive figure in the history of economic theory (Hebert & Link, 2009, p. 1).

Historically those who acted similarly to the ways we associate with modern day entrepreneurs – namely those who strategically assume risks to seek economic (or other) gains – were military leaders, royalty, or merchants. Military leaders planned their campaigns and battles while assuming significant risks, but by doing so they also stood to gain economic benefits if their strategies were successful. Merchants, like Marco Polo who sailed out of Venice in the late 1200s to search for a trade route to the Orient, also assumed substantial risks in the hope of becoming wealthy (Hebert & Link, 2009).

The entrepreneur, who was also called adventurer , projector , and undertaker during the eighteenth century, was not always viewed in a positive light (Hebert & Link, 2009).

Development of Entrepreneurship as a Concept

Risk and uncertainty.

Richard Cantillon (1680-1734) was born in France and belonged to the French School of thought although he was an Irish economist. He appears to be the person who introduced the term entrepreneur to the world. “According to Cantillon, the entrepreneur is a specialist in taking on risk, ‘insuring’ workers by buying their output for resale before consumers have indicated how much they are willing to pay for it” (Casson & Godley, 2005p. 26). The workers’ incomes are mostly stable, but the entrepreneur risks a loss if market prices fluctuate.

Cantillon distinguished entrepreneurs from two other classes of economic agents; landowners, who were financially independent, and hirelings (employees) who did not partake in the decision-making in exchange for relatively stable incomes through employment contracts. He was the first writer to provide a relatively refined meaning for the term entrepreneurship . Cantillon described entrepreneurs as individuals who generated profits through exchanges. In the face of uncertainty, particularly over future prices, they exercise business judgment. They purchase resources at one price and sell their product at a price that is uncertain, with the difference representing their profit (Chell, 2008; Hebert & Link, 2009).

Farmers were the most prominent entrepreneurs during Cantillon’s lifetime, and they interacted with “arbitrageurs” – or middlemen between farmers and the end consumers – who also faced uncertain incomes, and who were also, therefore, entrepreneurs. These intermediaries facilitated the movement of products from the farms to the cities where more than half of the farm output was consumed. Cantillon observed that consumers were willing to pay a higher price per unit to be able to purchase products in the smaller quantities they wanted, which created the opportunities for the intermediaries to make profits. Profits were the rewards for assuming the risks arising from uncertain conditions. The markets in which profits were earned were characterized by incomplete information (Chell, 2008; Hebert & Link, 2009).

Adolph Reidel (1809-1872), form the German School of thought, picked up on Cantillon’s notion of uncertainty and extended it to theorize that entrepreneurs take on uncertainty so others, namely income earners, do not have to be subject to the same uncertainty. Entrepreneurs provide a service to risk-averse income earners by assuming risk on their behalf. In exchange, entrepreneurs are rewarded when they can foresee the impacts of the uncertainty and sell their products at a price that exceeds their input costs (including the fixed costs of the wages they commit to paying) (Hebert & Link, 2009).

Frank Knight (1885-1972) founded the Chicago School of Economics and belonged to the American School of thought. He refined Cantillon’s perspective on entrepreneurs and risk by distinguishing insurable risk as something that is separate from uncertainty, which is not insurable. Some risks can be insurable because they have occurred enough times in the past that the expected loss from such risks can be calculated. Uncertainty, on the other hand, is not subject to probability calculations. According to Knight, entrepreneurs can’t share the risk of loss by insuring themselves against uncertain events, so they bear these kinds of risks themselves, and profit is the reward that entrepreneurs get from assuming uninsurable risks (Casson & Godley, 2005).

Distinction Between Entrepreneur and Manager

Jean-Baptiste Say (1767-1832), also from the French School, advanced Cantillon’s work, but added that entrepreneurship was essentially a form of management. Say “put the entrepreneur at the core of the entire process of production and distribution” (Hebert & Link, 2009, p. 17). Say’s work resulted in something similar to a general theory of entrepreneurship with three distinct functions; “scientific knowledge of the product; entrepreneurial industry – the application of knowledge to useful purpose; and productive industry – the manufacture of the item by manual labour” (Chell, 2008, p. 20).

Frank Knight made several contributions to entrepreneurship theory, but another of note is how he distinguished an entrepreneur from a manager. He suggested that a manager crosses the line to become an entrepreneur “when the exercise of his/her judgment is liable to error and s/he assumes the responsibility for its correctness” (Chell, 2008, p. 33). Knight said that entrepreneurs calculate the risks associated with uncertain business situations and make informed judgments and decisions with the expectation that – if they assessed the situation and made the correct decisions – they would be rewarded by earning a profit. Those who elect to avoid taking these risks choose the relative security of being employees (Chell, 2008).

Alfred Marshall (1842-1924), from the English School of thought, was one of the founders of neoclassical economics. His research involved distinguishing between the terms capitalist, entrepreneur, and manager. Marshall saw capitalists as individuals who “committed themselves to the capacity and honesty of others, when he by himself had incurred the risks for having contributed with the capital” (Zaratiegui & Rabade, 2005, p. 775). An entrepreneur took control of money provided by capitalists in an effort to leverage it to create more money; but would lose less if something went wrong then would the capitalists. An entrepreneur, however, risked his own reputation and the other gains he could have made by pursuing a different opportunity.

Let us suppose that two men are carrying on smaller businesses, the one working with his own, the other chiefly with borrowed capital. There is one set of risks which is common to both; which may be described as the trade risks of the particular business … But there is another set of risks, the burden of which has to be borne by the man working with borrowed capital, and not by the other; and we may call them personal risks (Marshall, 1961, p. 590; Zaratiegui & Rabade, 2005, p. 776).

Marshall recognized that the reward capitalists received for contributing capital was interest income and the reward entrepreneurs earned was profits. Managers received a salary and, according to Marshall, fulfilled a different function than either capitalists or entrepreneurs – although in some cases, particularly in smaller firms, one person might be both an entrepreneur and a manager. Managers “were more inclined to avoid challenges, innovations and what Schumpeter called the ‘perennial torment of creative destruction’ in favour of a more tranquil life” (Zaratiegui & Rabade, 2005, p. 781). The main risks they faced from firm failure were to their reputations or to their employment status. Managers had little incentive to strive to maximize profits (Zaratiegui & Rabade, 2005).

Amasa Walker (1799-1875) and his son Francis Walker (1840-1897) were from the American School of thought, and they helped shape an American perspective of entrepreneurship following the Civil War of 1861-1865. These scholars claimed that entrepreneurs created wealth, and thus played a different role than capitalists. They believed that entrepreneurs had the power of foresight and leadership qualities that enabled them to organize resources and inject energy into activities that create wealth (Chell, 2008).

Entrepreneurship versus Entrepreneur

Adam Smith (1723-1790), from the English School of thought, published An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations in 1776. In a departure from the previous thought into entrepreneurship and economics, Smith did not dwell on a particular class of individual. He was concerned with studying how all people fit into the economic system. Smith contended that the economy was driven by self-interest in the marketplace (Chell, 2008).

Also from the English School, David Ricardo (1772-1823) was influenced by Smith, Say, and others. His work focused on how the capitalist system worked. He explained how manufacturers must invest their capital in response to the demand for the products they produce. If demand decreases, manufacturers should borrow less and reduce their workforces. When demand is high, they should do the reverse (Chell, 2008).

Carl Menger (1840-1921), from the Austrian School of thought, ranked goods according to their causal connections to human satisfaction. Lower order goods include items like bread that directly satisfy a human want or need like hunger. Higher order goods are those more removed from satisfying a human need. A second order good is the flour that was used to make the bread. The grain used to make the flour is an even higher order good. Entrepreneurs coordinate these factors of production to turn higher order goods into lower order goods that more directly satisfy human wants and needs (Hebert & Link, 2009).

Menger (1950 [1871], p. 160) established that entrepreneurial activity includes: (a) obtaining information about the economic situation, (b) economic calculation – all the various computations that must be made if a production process is to be efficient, (c) the act of will by which goods of higher order are assigned to a particular production process, and (d) supervising the execution of the production plan so that it may be carried through as economically as possible (Hebert & Link, 2009, p. 43).

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), from the English School of thought, considered entrepreneurs to be innovators. They “depart from routine, discover new markets, find new sources of supply, improve existing products and lower the costs of production” (Chell, 2008).

Joseph Schumpeter’s (1883-1950) parents were Austrian, he studied at the University of Vienna, conducted research at the University of Graz, served as Austria’s Minister of Finance, and was the president of a bank in the country. Because of the rise of Hitler in Europe, he went to the United States and conducted research at Harvard until he retired in 1949. Because of this, he is sometimes associated with the American School of thought on entrepreneurship (Chell, 2008).

Whereas Menger saw entrepreneurship as occurring because of economic progress, Schumpeter took the opposite stance. Schumpeter saw economic activity as leading to economic development (Hebert & Link, 2009). Entrepreneurs play a central role in Schumpeter’s theory of economic development, and economic development can occur when the factors of production are assembled in new combinations .

Schumpeter (1934) viewed innovation as arising from new combinations of materials and forces. He provided the following five cases of new combinations.

  • The introduction of a new good – that is one with which consumers are not yet familiar – or of a new quality of good.
  • The introduction of a new method of production, that is one not yet tested by experience in the branch of manufacture concerned, which need by no means be founded upon a discovery scientifically new, and can also exist in a new way of handling a commodity commercially.
  • The opening of a new market, that is a market into which the particular branch of manufacture of the country in question has not previously entered, whether or not this market has existed before.
  • The conquest of a new source of supply of raw materials or half-manufactured goods, again irrespective of whether this source already exists or whether it has first to be created.
  • The carrying out of the new organisation of any industry, like the creation of a monopoly position … or the breaking up of a monopoly position (Schumpeter, 1934, p. 66).

Another concept popularized by Schumpeter – in addition to the notion of new combinations – was creative destruction . This was meant to indicate that the existing ways of doing things need to be dismantled – to be destroyed – to enable a transformation through innovation to a new way of doing things. Entrepreneurs use innovation to disrupt how things are done and to establish a better way of doing those things.

Basic Questions in Entrepreneurship Research

According to Baron (2004a), there are three basic questions of interest in the field of entrepreneurship:

  • Why do some persons but not others choose to become entrepreneurs?
  • Why do some persons but not others recognize opportunities for new products or services that can be profitably exploited?
  • Why are some entrepreneurs so much more successful than others (Baron, 2004a, p. 221)?

To understand where these foundational research questions came from and what their relevance is today, it is useful to study what entrepreneurship research has uncovered so far.

Entrepreneurial Uniqueness

Efforts to teach entrepreneurship have included descriptions of entrepreneurial uniqueness based on personality, behavioural, and cognitive traits (Chell, 2008; Duening, 2010).

  • Need for achievement
  • Internal locus of control (a belief by an individual that they are in control of their own destiny)
  • Risk-taking propensity
  • Behavioural traits
  • Cognitive skills of successful entrepreneurs

Past studies of personality characteristics and behavioural traits have not been overly successful at identifying entrepreneurial uniqueness.

As it turned out, years of painstaking research along this line has not borne significant fruit. It appears that there are simply not any personality characteristics that are either essential to, or defining of, entrepreneurs that differ systematically from non-entrepreneurs…. Again, investigators proposed a number of behavioural candidates as emblematic of entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, this line of research also resulted in a series of dead ends as examples of successful entrepreneurial behaviours had equal counterparts among samples of non-entrepreneurs. As with the personality characteristic school of thought before it, the behavioural trait school of thought became increasingly difficult to support (Duening, 2010, p. 4-5).

This shed doubt on the value of trying to change personality characteristics or implant new entrepreneurial behaviours through educational programs in an effort to promote entrepreneurship.

New research, however, has resurrected the idea that there might be some value in revisiting personality traits as a topic of study. Additionally, Duening (2010) and has suggested that an important approach to teaching and learning about entrepreneurship is to focus on the “cognitive skills that successful entrepreneurs seem uniquely to possess and deploy” (p. 2). In the next sections we consider the new research on entrepreneurial personality traits and on entrepreneurial cognitions.

Entrepreneurial Personality Traits

While acknowledging that research had yet to validate the value of considering personality and behaviour traits as ways to distinguish entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs or unsuccessful ones, Chell (2008) suggested that researchers turn their attention to new sets of traits including: “the proactive personality, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, perseverance and intuitive decision-making style. Other traits that require further work include social competence and the need for independence” (p. 140).

In more recent years scholars have considered how the Big Five personality traits – extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism (sometimes presented as emotional stability ), and openness to experience (sometimes referred to as intellect) – might be used to better understand entrepreneurs. It appears that the Big Five traits might be of some use in predicting entrepreneurial success. Research is ongoing in this area, but in one example, Caliendo, Fossen, and Kritikos (2014) studied whether personality constructs might “influence entrepreneurial decisions at different points in time” (p. 807), and found that “high values in three factors of the Big Five approach—openness to experience, extraversion, and emotional stability (the latter only when we do not control for further personality characteristics)—increase the probability of entry into self-employment” (p. 807). They also found “that some specific personality characteristics, namely risk tolerance, locus of control, and trust, have strong partial effects on the entry decision” (p. 807). They also found that people who scored higher on agreeableness were more likely to exit their businesses, possibly meaning that people with lower agreeableness scores might prevail longer as entrepreneurs. When it came to specific personality traits, their conclusions indicated that those with an external locus of control were more likely to stop being self-employed after they had run their businesses for a while. There are several implications for research like this, including the potential to better understand why some entrepreneurs behave as they do based upon their personality types and the chance to improve entrepreneurship education and support services.

Entrepreneurial Cognitions

It is only fairly recently that entrepreneurship scholars have focused on cognitive skills as a primary factor that differentiates successful entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs and less successful entrepreneurs. This approach deals with how entrepreneurs think differently than non-entrepreneurs (Duening, 2010; Mitchell et al., 2007).

Entrepreneurial cognitions are the knowledge structures that people use to make assessments, judgments or decisions involving opportunity evaluation and venture creation and growth. In other words, research in entrepreneurial cognition is about understanding how entrepreneurs use simplifying mental models to piece together previously unconnected information that helps them to identify and invent new products or services, and to assemble the necessary resources to start and grow businesses (Mitchell, Busenitz, et al., 2002, p. 97).

Mitchell, Smith, et al. (2002) provided the example of how the decision to create a new venture (dependent variable) was influenced by three sets of cognitions (independent variables). They described these cognitions as follows:

Arrangements cognitions are the mental maps about the contacts, relationships, resources, and assets necessary to engage in entrepreneurial activity; willingness cognitions are the mental maps that support commitment to venturing and receptivity to the idea of starting a venture; ability cognitions consist of the knowledge structures or scripts (Glaser, 1984) that individuals have to support the capabilities, skills, norms, and attitudes required to create a venture (Mitchell et al., 2000). These variables draw on the idea that cognitions are structured in the minds of individuals (Read, 1987), and that these knowledge structures act as “scripts” that are the antecedents of decision making (Leddo & Abelson, 1986, p. 121; Mitchell, Smith, et al., 2002, p. 10)

Cognitive Perspective to Understanding Entrepreneurship

According to Baron (2004a), by taking a cognitive perspective, we might better understand entrepreneurs and the role they play in the entrepreneurial process.

The cognitive perspective emphasizes the fact that everything we think, say, or do is influenced by mental processes—the cognitive mechanisms through which we acquire store, transform, and use information. It is suggested here that this perspective can be highly useful to the field of entrepreneurship. Specifically, it can assist the field in answering three basic questions it has long addressed: (1) Why do some persons but not others choose to become entrepreneurs? (2) Why do some persons but not others recognize opportunities for new products or services that can be profitably exploited? And (3) Why are some entrepreneurs so much more successful than others (Baron, 2004a, p. 221-222)?

Baron (2004a), illustrated how cognitive differences between people might explain why some people end up pursuing entrepreneurial pursuits and others do not. For example, prospect theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1977) and other decision-making or behavioural theories might be useful in this regard. Research into cognitive biases might also help explain why some people become entrepreneurs.

Baron (2004a) also revealed ways in which cognitive concepts like signal detection theory, regulation theory, and entrepreneurial might help explain why some people are better at entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. He also illustrated how some cognitive models and theories – like risk perception, counterfactual thinking, processing style, and susceptibility to cognitive errors – might help explain why some entrepreneurs are more successful than others.

Cognitive Perspective and the Three Questions

  • Prospect Theory
  • Cognitive Biases
  • Signal Detection Theory
  • Regulation Theory
  • Entrepreneurial Alertness
  • Risk Perception
  • Counterfactual Thinking
  • Processing Style
  • Susceptibility to Cognitive Errors

Entrepreneurial Scripts

  • “Cognition has emerged as an important theoretical perspective for understanding and explaining human behavior and action” (Dutta & Thornhill, 2008, p. 309).
  • Cognitions are all processes by which sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used (Neisser, 1976).
  • Cognitions lead to the acquisition of knowledge, and involve human information processing.
  • Is a mental model, or information processing short-cut that can give information form and meaning, and enable subsequent interpretation and action.
  • The subsequent interpretation and actions can result in expert performance … they can also result in thinking errors.
  • the processes that transfer expertise, and
  • the actual expertise itself.
  • Scripts are generally framed as a linear sequence of steps, usually with feedback loops, that can explain how to achieve a particular task – perhaps like developing a business plan.
  • Sometimes scripts can be embedded within other scripts. For example, within a general venturing script that outlines the sequences of activities that can lead to a successful business launch, there will probably be sub-scripts describing how entrepreneurs can search for ideas, screen those ideas until one is selected, plan how to launch a sustainable business based upon that idea and including securing the needed financial resources, setting up the business, starting it, effectively managing its ongoing operations, and managing the venture such that that entrepreneur can extract the value that they desire from the enterprise at the times and in the ways they want it.
  • The most effective scripts include an indication of the norms that outline performance standards and indicate how to determine when any step in the sequence has been properly completed.

General Venturing Script

Generally, entrepreneurship is considered to consist of the following elements, or subscripts (Brooks, 2009; Mitchell, 2000).

  • Idea Screening
  • Planning and Financing
  • Ongoing Operations

Searching (also called idea formulation or opportunity recognition)

  • This script begins when a person decides they might be a potential entrepreneur (or when an existing entrepreneur decides they need more ideas in their idea pool ).
  • This script ends when there are a sufficient number of ideas in the idea pool.
  • overcome mental blockages to creativity which might hinder this person’s ability to identify viable ideas;
  • implement steps to identify a sufficient number of ideas (most likely 5 or more) which the person is interested in investigating to determine whether they might be viable given general criteria such as this person’s personal interests and capabilities;

Idea Screening (also called concept development)

  • This script begins when the person with the idea pool is no longer focusing on adding new ideas to it; but is instead taking steps to choose the best idea for them given a full range of specific criteria .
  • This script ends when one idea is chosen from among those in the idea pool.
  • Evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal climates
  • Evaluate the degree of competitiveness in the industry, the threat of substitutes emerging, the threat of new entrants to the industry, the degree of bargaining power of buyers, and the degree of bargaining power of suppliers.
  • Do a market profile analysis to assess the attractiveness of the position within the industry that the potential venture will occupy.
  • Formulate and evaluate potential strategies to leverage organizational strengths, overcome/minimize weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and overcome/minimize threats;
  • Complete financial projections and analyze them to evaluate financial attractiveness;
  • Assess the founder fit with the ideas;
  • Evaluate the core competencies of the organization relative to the idea;
  • Assess advice solicited from trusted advisers

Planning and Financing (also called resource determination and acquisition)

  • This script begins when the idea screening script ends and when the person begins making the plans to implement the single idea chosen from the idea pool, which is done in concert with securing financing to implement the venture idea.
  • This script ends when sufficient business planning has been done and when adequate financing has been arranged.
  • The scripting process involves a logical flow of steps to develop a business plan and secure adequate financing to start the business.

Set-Up (also called launch)

  • This script begins when the planning and financing script ends and when the person begins implementing the plans needed to start the business.
  • This script ends when the business is ready to start-up.
  • The scripting process involves a logical flow of steps, including purchasing and installing equipment, securing the venture location and finishing all the needed renovations, recruiting and hiring any staff needed for start-up, and the many other steps needed to prepare for start-up.
  • Start-Up (also called launch)
  • This script begins when the set-up script ends and when the business opens and begins making sales.
  • This script ends when the business has moved beyond the point where the entrepreneur must continually fight for the business’s survival and persistence. It ends when the entrepreneur can instead shift emphasis toward business growth or maintaining the venture’s stability.
  • The scripting process involves a logical flow of steps needed to establish a new venture.

Ongoing Operations (also called venture growth)

  • This script begins when the start-up script ends and when the business has established persistence and is implementing growth (or maintenance) strategies.
  • This script ends when the entrepreneur chooses to harvest the value they generated with the venture.
  • The scripting process involves a logical flow of steps needed to grow (or maintain) a venture.

Studying Entrepreneurship

The following quotations from two preeminent entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education researchers indicate the growing interest in studies in this field.

Entrepreneurship has emerged over the last two decades as arguably the most potent economic force the world has ever experienced. With that expansion has come a similar increase in the field of entrepreneurship education. The recent growth and development in the curricula and programs devoted to entrepreneurship and new-venture creation have been remarkable. The number of colleges and universities that offer courses related to entrepreneurship has grown from a handful in the 1970s to over 1,600 in 2005 (Kuratko, 2005, p. 577).

Interest in entrepreneurship has heightened in recent years, especially in business schools. Much of this interest is driven by student demand for courses in entrepreneurship, either because of genuine interest in the subject, or because students see entrepreneurship education as a useful hedge given uncertain corporate careers (Venkataraman, 1997, p. 119).

Approaches to Studying Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a discipline, which means an individual can learn about it, and about how to be an effective entrepreneur. It is a myth that people are born entrepreneurs and that others cannot learn to become entrepreneurs (Drucker, 1985). Kuratko (2005) asserted that the belief previously held by some that entrepreneurship cannot be taught has been debunked, and the focus has shifted to what topics should be taught and how they should be covered.

Solomon (2007) summarized some of the research on what should be covered in entrepreneurship courses, and how it should be taught. While the initial focus was on actions like developing business plans and being exposed to real entrepreneurs, more recently this approach has been supplemented by an emphasis on technical, industry, and personal experience. “It requires critical thinking and ethical assessment and is based on the premise that successful entrepreneurial activities are a function of human, venture and environmental conditions” (p. 172). Another approach “calls for courses to be structured around a series of strategic development challenges including opportunity identification and feasibility analysis; new venture planning, financing and operating; new market development and expansion strategies; and institutionalizing innovation” (p. 172). This involves having students interact with entrepreneurs by interviewing them, having them act as mentors, and learning about their experiences and approaches through class discussions.

Sources of Information for Studying Entrepreneurship

According to Kuratko (2005), “three major sources of information supply the data related to the entrepreneurial process or perspective” (p. 579).

  • Academic journals like Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice , Journal of Business Venturing , and Journal of Small Business Management
  • Proceedings of conferences like Proceedings of the Academy of Management and Proceedings of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada
  • Textbooks on entrepreneurship
  • Books about entrepreneurship
  • Biographies or autobiographies of entrepreneurs
  • News periodicals like Canadian Business and Profit
  • Trade periodicals like Entrepreneur and Family Business
  • Government publications available through sources like the Enterprise Saskatchewan and Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Centre (CSBSC) websites and through various government resource centers
  • Data might be collected from entrepreneurs and about entrepreneurs through surveys, interviews, or other methods applied by researchers.
  • Speeches and presentations by practicing entrepreneurs

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12+ Idea Generation Techniques in Entrepreneurship: From Concept to Creation

Learn effective idea generation techniques in entrepreneurship to fuel innovation and drive business success.

In the thrilling world of entrepreneurship, the spark of a brilliant idea can be the catalyst for extraordinary success. Think about it – every iconic business, from Apple to Airbnb, began with a simple yet groundbreaking concept. But how do these ideas come to life? How do entrepreneurs consistently conjure up innovation?

Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to explore in this article: the art and science of idea generation in entrepreneurship. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur filled with passion and dreams or a seasoned business owner seeking a fresh wave of inspiration, this journey into the heart of creativity will be your guiding light.

We’ll uncover the techniques and strategies that can turn your lightbulb moments into thriving businesses. So, fasten your seatbelts because we’re about to embark on a creative adventure where ideas flourish, dreams take shape, and entrepreneurship becomes an art form. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

What is Entreprenurship?

Imagine entrepreneurship as the ultimate adventure in creating and running your very own business. It’s about spotting opportunities that light up your entrepreneurial soul, crafting innovative products or services, and then unleashing them into the market. Think of entrepreneurs as the daring dreamers who turn these ideas into reality.

But why is entrepreneurship such a big deal? Well, it’s the powerhouse behind innovation and economic leaps. Entrepreneurs are the catalysts for change, responsible for shaking things up by generating new jobs, shaking up industries with game-changing technologies, and introducing exciting products and services to the world. They’re the ones who give economies that competitive edge.

Now, let’s zoom in on what makes these entrepreneurial mavericks tick. Here are some of the traits that set them apart:

Entrepreneurs have a knack for seeing beyond the horizon. They’ve got this crystal-clear vision of their business objectives and the roadmap to reach them. Where others might see hurdles, they spot opportunities and are unafraid to take calculated leaps.

Entrepreneurship runs on passion. These folks are on a mission to succeed, and they pour their heart and soul into their ventures. They’re the night owls, burning the midnight oil, driven by their unwavering commitment to their dreams.

The entrepreneurial path is no cakewalk. It’s a rollercoaster ride with its share of ups and downs. But entrepreneurs are like those bouncy rubber balls; they bounce back from adversity, learning from their stumbles and emerging even stronger.

Adaptability

Change is the name of the game in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are like the chameleons of the business world, swiftly adjusting to shifting circumstances and ever-ready to pivot. They’ve got their radar on for fresh opportunities, and they’re lightning-quick to seize them.

In a nutshell, entrepreneurship isn’t your average 9-to-5 gig—it’s an exhilarating journey. Successful entrepreneurs don’t just build businesses; they craft them around their passions and leave an indelible mark on the world. They’re the trailblazers of progress, the pioneers of innovation, and the architects of a brighter future.

Understanding the Importance of Idea Generation

Imagine this: a world without fresh ideas is like a monochrome movie with no plot twists. Boring, right? That’s why understanding why idea generation is so darn important is like discovering a superpower.

But why should you care? Well, idea generation is like the heartbeat of cool stuff. It’s what transforms clunky gadgets into sleek wonders, and it takes us from ‘meh’ to ‘wow.’ Think about smartphones, electric cars, and the internet. Yup, you guessed it; idea generation is the magic behind them.

Here’s the real deal: idea generation isn’t just for geeks in labs. It’s about solving real-life problems, making our lives better, and pushing the envelope. It’s like being the superhero of innovation.

Now, let’s talk business. In the world of entrepreneurship, idea generation is the secret sauce. It’s what gets investors excited, customers interested, and startups off the ground. It’s your treasure map in the business jungle, guiding you when everything else is a blur.

But hold on, there’s more. Idea generation isn’t a one-time thing; it’s a lifeline. Markets change faster than you can say ‘startup,’ and consumer tastes? They flip like pancakes. Idea generation is your ninja move to stay ahead of the game.

And here’s the kicker: anyone can do it. You, me, your neighbor’s dog—everyone’s got the potential to be an idea machine. So, whether you’re a tech guru, a student, or just a daydreamer, understanding why idea generation rocks will open doors you never knew existed.

In a nutshell, idea generation is the turbo boost for progress. It’s the reason we have cool gadgets, smart cars, and all the internet memes. It’s the captain of change, the driving force behind everything awesome, and the key to a future that’s out-of-this-world exciting. So, let’s keep those creative juices flowing because the next big thing? It could be just a brilliant idea away. 

Idea Generation Techniques in Entrepreneurship

Have a close look at the ideas generation techniques in entrepreneurship:-

Brainstorming

This tried-and-true technique involves gathering a diverse group of individuals, often from different backgrounds and perspectives, to generate a wide range of ideas. The key is to encourage free thinking and open discussion.

No idea is too wild or too impractical during brainstorming sessions. The goal is to create a pool of potential concepts that can be explored further.

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a visual technique that helps entrepreneurs organize and visualize their thoughts. It starts with a central idea or problem in the center of a page, and then related ideas or solutions branch out from it. This method allows for the exploration of connections and relationships between different aspects of an idea, making it a powerful tool for creative thinking.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This technique involves a comprehensive analysis of these four aspects of a business or idea. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, while opportunities and threats are external.

By identifying these factors, entrepreneurs can gain insights into areas where innovation is needed or where existing strengths can be leveraged.

Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is a goldmine of information. Entrepreneurs can gather feedback through surveys, interviews, online reviews, and social media interactions. This direct input from customers can reveal pain points, unmet needs, and opportunities for improvement or innovation.

Problem-Solving

This technique involves actively seeking out problems or challenges in the market or industry and brainstorming solutions for them. Successful entrepreneurs often build their businesses around solving significant problems, so identifying pain points is a crucial step in idea generation.

Market Research

In-depth market research involves studying industry trends, consumer behavior, and competitor activities. Entrepreneurs need to keep a finger on the pulse of their market to identify gaps, emerging opportunities, and areas where innovation can make a significant impact.

Competitor Analysis

By analyzing competitors, entrepreneurs can gain valuable insights into what’s working in the market and what isn’t. This analysis isn’t just about identifying weaknesses in competitors; it’s also about learning from their successes and understanding how to differentiate your own offerings.

Collaborative Ideation

Collaboration is a powerful catalyst for innovation. Entrepreneurs should encourage team members to contribute ideas and build upon each other’s concepts. Diverse perspectives can lead to more well-rounded and innovative solutions.

Trend Spotting

Staying ahead of industry trends is essential for innovation. Entrepreneurs should actively monitor changes in technology, consumer behavior, and market dynamics. Identifying emerging trends allows for proactive adaptation and innovation.

Creative Exercises

Creative exercises and games are designed to break free from conventional thought patterns. These activities encourage entrepreneurs to explore unconventional and out-of-the-box solutions. They can include activities like brainstorming games, role-playing, or idea visualization exercises.

Prototype and Test

Once an idea is developed, creating a prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) allows entrepreneurs to bring their concepts to life in a tangible form. Testing these prototypes with a select audience provides valuable feedback for refinement.

Feedback Loops

Establishing feedback loops with customers, team members, and stakeholders is vital for ongoing improvement. Entrepreneurs should actively seek input and use it to iterate and enhance their ideas or products.

These techniques are not mutually exclusive, and entrepreneurs often combine several of them to generate innovative ideas successfully. The key is to foster a culture of creativity and innovation within the entrepreneurial journey, using these techniques as tools to navigate the path to success.

What are the 4 methods of generating ideas?

Check out the 4 methods of generating ideas:-

Brainstorming is the creative hub of idea generation. In this method, a group of individuals comes together in a relaxed and open environment to generate a plethora of ideas. There’s no judgment here; every idea, no matter how wild, is welcomed.

The aim is to build a vast pool of ideas, like collecting a treasure trove, which can then be refined and evaluated at a later stage. It’s a free-flowing idea factory where imagination knows no bounds.

Mind mapping is like a visual brainstorming session. It’s about creating a dynamic and interconnected map of your ideas, using a central topic as the nucleus, and branching out to represent related subtopics and ideas.

Mind mapping isn’t just about generating new ideas; it’s also a handy tool to organize your thoughts and solve problems. Think of it as your idea navigation system, helping you explore various routes to innovation.

SCAMPER is your idea generation toolkit with a twist. It’s an acronym that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse. This technique challenges the norm and urges you to look at things from a fresh perspective.

Want to think outside the box? SCAMPER encourages you to break it open and rearrange the pieces to create novel ideas. It’s your creative remix button.

Reverse Brainstorming

Sometimes, the road to brilliant ideas starts with a detour. Reverse brainstorming is your unique navigation system. Instead of aiming for your desired outcome, you start by asking the opposite question. For instance, if you’re looking to market a product, ask, “How can I make this product less appealing to customers?”

You brainstorm a list of unfavorable ideas and then, like a magician, flip them around to reveal their positive counterparts. It’s all about finding your golden nugget by first exploring the rough terrain.

These are just a taste of the vast menu of idea generation techniques at your disposal. Depending on your specific needs and creative flair, there are many more techniques to explore. The best approach is to roll up your sleeves, experiment with different methods, and uncover what resonates with you.

After all, the most potent idea generator is your unique approach. So, keep exploring, innovating, and make every idea your own masterpiece. 

What are the 7 strategies for generating ideas?

Check out the 7 strategies for generating ideas:-

Foster a Culture of Innovation

Creating an environment where innovation thrives is crucial. Encourage everyone in your organization to contribute ideas, no matter how unconventional they may seem. Make sure employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, and provide platforms for cross-collaboration. Innovation often blooms in an inclusive and open atmosphere.

Customer Involvement

Your customers are a goldmine of insights. They use your products and services daily and can provide valuable feedback. Engage them in the idea generation process through methods like surveys, focus groups, and co-design workshops. Listen closely to their needs and preferences—they often hold the key to fresh ideas.

Expand Customer Reach

Don’t limit your focus to existing customers. Explore new ways to connect with potential customers. Partner with influencers in your industry, run engaging social media contests , or tap into untapped markets. The broader your audience, the more diverse the ideas.

Uncover Unarticulated Needs

Customers may not always express their needs explicitly. Sometimes, innovation lies in recognizing what they can’t vocalize. Be observant and use methods like ethnography to dig deep into unmet needs. By understanding customers on a profound level, you can unveil hidden opportunities.

Explore New Customer Groups

Don’t confine your search for ideas to your usual customer base. Consider branching out and targeting different customer groups. For instance, if your business primarily serves other businesses, think about how your offerings could also benefit consumers. Fresh perspectives often lead to innovative ideas.

Supplier Collaboration

Suppliers aren’t just sources of materials; they can also be wellsprings of ideas. Collaborate with your suppliers and tap into their knowledge. They might be aware of new technologies, materials, or processes that could enhance your products or services.

Benchmark Ideation Methods

Keep an eye on what other companies are doing to generate ideas. There’s a vast landscape of ideation methods out there. Experiment and adapt various techniques until you find the ones that work best for your unique context. Learning from others’ successes and failures can save you time and effort in your quest for innovative ideas.

These strategies are like the gears in your idea generation engine. Implement them thoughtfully, adapt them to your specific needs, and watch as a torrent of fresh and creative ideas flows into your business. Innovation knows no bounds when you explore every avenue. 

What are the 3 techniques for generating new business ideas?

Check out the 3 techniques for generating new business ideas:-

Problem-Solving Approach

To ignite the spark of a new business idea, start by seeking out problems that need solutions. It’s like being a detective for unmet needs. Engage with people, observe their daily lives, and even brainstorm a list of common problems.

Once you’ve compiled a list of these challenges, put on your innovator’s hat and brainstorm innovative ways to solve them. The key here is to find fresh and inventive solutions to existing problems.

Trendspotting

Keep your finger on the pulse of emerging trends to uncover promising business ideas. Stay informed by reading industry reports, following thought leaders on social media, and simply staying observant of the world around you.

When you spot a new trend, think about how you can capitalize on it. For instance, if you notice a growing interest in healthy eating, consider developing a business that offers healthy meal kits or meal delivery services. Trendspotting is like surfing the wave of innovation.

Combining Existing Ideas Creatively

Sometimes, brilliance lies in blending existing ideas in novel ways. It’s like mixing colors to create a brand-new shade. You can combine unrelated products or services into a unique offering, or adapt a product or service for a new market.

For example, merging the concept of a traditional taxi service with the convenience of a ride-hailing app gave birth to Uber. This technique encourages you to think like an innovator by reimagining the possibilities within familiar concepts.

These techniques are your compass in the sea of innovation. Whether you’re solving problems, riding the waves of trends, or mixing and matching existing ideas, creativity knows no boundaries. Use these approaches to uncover groundbreaking business ideas that can transform the landscape of entrepreneurship. 

What are the techniques of generating new product ideas?

Check out the techniques of generating new product ideas:-

Brainstorming is a classic and collaborative technique for idea generation. Gather a diverse group of people and encourage them to generate a plethora of ideas, regardless of how unconventional they may appear. The key is to create a judgment-free zone where creativity flows freely.

The ultimate goal is to amass a substantial pool of ideas, which can later be sifted, refined, and assessed. It’s like a brainstorming storm, where ideas rain down like drops of inspiration.

Mind mapping is a visual technique that aids in idea generation and thought organization. To create a mind map, begin with your central topic at the center of a page. Then, extend branches from this central topic, adding related subtopics and ideas.

You can continue branching out and adding ideas until your mind map becomes a comprehensive visual representation of your thoughts. Think of it as a roadmap for navigating the labyrinth of creativity.

SCAMPER is a mnemonic that stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Rearrange. It’s a technique designed to stimulate creativity by challenging the status quo and examining things from unconventional angles.

For instance, you might ask questions like “How can I substitute a different material for this product?” or “What happens if I combine this product with another to create something entirely new?” SCAMPER encourages you to think like a creative detective, exploring the nooks and crannies of innovation.

Reverse brainstorming is an intriguing technique where you begin by asking questions in the opposite direction of your desired outcome. For instance, if you aim to create a user-friendly product, start by pondering, “How can I make this product more difficult to use?”

By generating a list of negative ideas, you can then flip them around to reveal innovative, positive concepts. It’s like discovering treasures hidden in the midst of challenges.

User Research

Engaging in user research is a strategic approach to uncovering fresh product ideas. By conversing with your customers and gaining a deep understanding of their needs, pain points, and desires, you can pinpoint opportunities for crafting new products that precisely address those needs.

User research is akin to opening a dialogue with your audience, letting their insights guide you toward innovation.

These techniques are your toolkit for navigating the labyrinth of product innovation. Whether you’re brainstorming, mapping your thoughts, challenging conventions with SCAMPER, flipping the script with reverse brainstorming, or engaging with your users, creativity is at the heart of idea generation. Use these methods to unlock the door to groundbreaking new product ideas. 

As we wrap up our journey through the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship and idea generation, one truth shines brightly: innovation is the lifeblood of progress. It’s the spark that kindles businesses, the turbo boost that propels groundbreaking products and services, and the North Star guiding us to new frontiers.

In this adventure, we’ve uncovered a treasure trove of techniques, each with its unique charm. Whether you’re cracking problems, riding the wave of trends, or playing the matchmaker with existing ideas, one thing is clear: creativity knows no limits.

So, as you embark on your entrepreneurial odyssey, keep in mind that the most remarkable ideas often spring from the unlikeliest of sources. Stay curious, stay adaptable, and embrace the endless possibilities around you.

With the right mindset and these techniques in your arsenal, you’re ready to shape the future, one ingenious idea at a time. It’s time to set sail on the sea of innovation, led by your ingenuity and fueled by your unyielding passion. The next big idea is out there, awaiting your discovery. Get ready to create, innovate, and change the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i know if my idea is worth pursuing.

Assess the market demand, competition, and feasibility of your idea. Conduct thorough research and seek feedback from potential customers.

Can I use multiple idea generation techniques simultaneously?

Yes, combining various techniques can often lead to more robust and creative ideas. Experiment and find what works best for your unique situation.

How can I encourage creativity within my team?

Create a culture that values and rewards creativity. Encourage open communication, provide opportunities for brainstorming, and foster a collaborative environment.

What if my initial idea doesn’t gain traction?

Don’t be discouraged. Many successful entrepreneurs pivot from their initial ideas. Use feedback and data to adapt and refine your concept.

Is there a limit to how many ideas I can generate?

There’s no limit to creativity. Keep exploring and generating ideas, and remember that quality often matters more than quantity.

PresentationSkills.me

200 Entrepreneurship Topics

200 Entrepreneurship Topics

Venturing into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship can unleash innovative ideas and steer you towards success. Browse through our selection of 200 stimulating entrepreneurship topics, meticulously crafted to meet the interests and business goals of every budding entrepreneur.

  • The Rise of the Gig Economy and Its Impact on Entrepreneurship.
  • Understanding the Lean Startup Methodology.
  • The Importance of Adaptability in the Entrepreneurial Journey.
  • How Technology Has Transformed Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century.
  • Social Entrepreneurship and Its Role in Addressing Societal Issues.
  • Female Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Opportunities.
  • The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses and Startups.
  • Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Building Businesses That Care for the Environment.
  • The Psychology of Entrepreneurship: Mindset and Motivation.
  • The Role of Government Policy in Supporting Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • Networking Strategies for Budding Entrepreneurs.
  • The Benefits and Risks of Crowdfunding for New Businesses.
  • Youth Entrepreneurship Education and Its Importance.
  • The Entrepreneurial Journey: From Idea to Execution.
  • Innovations in Fintech: Opportunities for Startups.
  • The Sharing Economy: A New Frontier for Entrepreneurs.
  • Bootstrapping Versus Seeking Venture Capital.
  • The Influence of Social Media on Entrepreneurship.
  • Corporate Entrepreneurship: Fostering Innovation Within Established Companies.
  • The Ethics of Entrepreneurship: Balancing Profit and Responsibility.
  • Successful Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas: Overcoming the Challenges.
  • Importance of Intellectual Property Rights for Entrepreneurs.
  • How to Build a Customer-Centric Business Model.
  • The Evolution of E-commerce and Its Effect on Traditional Businesses.
  • Building an Entrepreneurial Team: Recruitment and Management.
  • The Role of Mentorship in Entrepreneurial Success.
  • Effective Leadership in a Startup Environment.
  • The Pros and Cons of Entering a Saturated Market.
  • The Impact of Globalization on Small Businesses.
  • Navigating Business Partnerships and Co-founder Dynamics.
  • Balancing Work and Life as an Entrepreneur.
  • Franchising as an Entrepreneurial Strategy.
  • Strategies for Scaling up a Small Business.
  • The Significance of a Strong Business Plan.
  • How to Conduct Market Research for a New Venture.
  • The Future of Entrepreneurship: Trends and Predictions.
  • The Challenges of International Expansion for Startups.
  • Why Some Startups Fail and Others Succeed.
  • Venture Capital Funding: A Guide for Startup Founders.
  • The Role of Disruption in Creating Business Opportunities.
  • Crafting a Unique Value Proposition for Your Business.
  • The Influence of Culture on Entrepreneurship.
  • Outsourcing Tasks: When and How Entrepreneurs Should Do It.
  • Building a Personal Brand as an Entrepreneur.
  • Overcoming Fear of Failure in Entrepreneurship.
  • The Role of Customer Feedback in Shaping a Business.
  • Importance of Continuous Learning and Development for Entrepreneurs.
  • Analyzing the Competitive Landscape for New Ventures.
  • Time Management Skills for Busy Entrepreneurs.
  • The Power of Storytelling in Marketing a Startup.
  • Managing Financial Challenges in the Early Stages of a Business.
  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Entrepreneurship.
  • Ecosystem for Innovation: How Cities and Regions Foster Entrepreneurship.
  • Measuring Business Success: Beyond Financial Metrics.
  • How to Pivot Your Business Strategy Effectively.
  • Business Incubators and Accelerators: How They Can Help Startups.
  • The Effects of Digital Transformation on Entrepreneurship.
  • Entrepreneurial Approaches to Crisis Management.
  • Big Data and Analytics for Entrepreneurs.
  • How Family Businesses Transition to Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • The Intersection of Entrepreneurship and Activism.
  • Collaborative Consumption: A New Business Paradigm.
  • Startup Culture and Its Influence on Employee Engagement.
  • Legal Obstacles and Considerations for Startups.
  • Ethics in Entrepreneurship: Starting and Running a Business Responsibly.
  • Utilizing E-learning Platforms for Entrepreneurial Development.
  • Startups and the Challenge of Creating a Brand Identity.
  • The Significance of Exit Strategies for Entrepreneurs.
  • The Gig Economy: Freelancers Fueling Entrepreneurship.
  • The Effects of Demographic Shifts on Entrepreneurial Opportunities.
  • Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges in Startups.
  • Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality: Opportunities for Startups.
  • Angel Investors and How They Impact Startups.
  • Building a Socially Responsible Business.
  • E-Health Innovation: The Role of Startups in Shaping the Future of Healthcare.
  • The Phenomenon of Unicorn Startups and What Drives Their Success.
  • Keeping up With Technological Change as an Entrepreneur.
  • Emerging Markets: Opportunities and Hurdles for Entrepreneurs.
  • Entrepreneurship and the Importance of Building Trust With Consumers.
  • Cybersecurity Challenges for Small Businesses.
  • Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Food Industry.
  • The Relevance of Customer Relationship Management for Small Businesses.
  • Balancing Innovation With Practicality in Business.
  • Crafting an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy on a Budget.
  • Impact Investing: Entrepreneurs Driving Social Change.
  • The Importance of Resilience in the Entrepreneurial Process.
  • Design Thinking as a Tool for Entrepreneurs.
  • The Essentials of Supply Chain Management for New Businesses.
  • Entrepreneurial Strategies in the Entertainment Industry.
  • Small Businesses and the Debate Over Raising the Minimum Wage.
  • The Role of Co-working Spaces in Supporting Startups.
  • Entrepreneurship in the Age of Remote Work.
  • Cultural Competence: An Essential Skill for Global Entrepreneurs.
  • Monetizing Innovations: From Concept to Market.
  • The Importance of a Support System for Entrepreneurs.
  • The Challenge of Balancing Quality and Growth in a Startup.
  • Brand Collaborations and Partnerships: Boosting Growth and Credibility.
  • How to Deal with Competition in Entrepreneurship.
  • The Power of Niche Markets for Entrepreneurs.
  • Financial Literacy Skills That Every Entrepreneur Should Have.
  • The Impact of Cryptocurrencies on Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • Developing a Sustainable Business Model.
  • Customer Service Excellence for Business Growth.
  • Strategies to Leverage User-Generated Content for Small Businesses.
  • The Entrepreneurial Mindset in Non-business Disciplines.
  • The Significance of Patents and Trademarks for New Ventures.
  • The Benefits of Diversity in Entrepreneurship.
  • Building an Eco-Friendly Business From the Ground Up.
  • Guerrilla Marketing Tactics for Startups.
  • The Relevance of Traditional Marketing in the Digital Age.
  • Strategies for Effective Online and Offline Retail Integration.
  • Mobile Commerce and Its Opportunities for Entrepreneurs.
  • Entrepreneurs Tackling the Affordable Housing Crisis.
  • The Advantages of Starting a Business in a Small Town.
  • Entrepreneurial Finance: Finding and Managing Your Funds.
  • Overcoming Language Barriers in International Business.
  • The Influence of Personal Branding on Entrepreneurial Success.
  • Developing a Circular Economy Through Entrepreneurship.
  • Managing Business Growth Pains Effectively.
  • Big Business Versus Small Business: Entrepreneurial Perspectives.
  • The Importance of Soft Skills in Entrepreneurship.
  • The Rise of Subscription Services and Their Business Models.
  • Challenges of Maintaining Innovation in Growing Startups.
  • The Role of Passion in Driving Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • Combating Adversity With Creative Business Strategies.
  • Strategies for Retaining Talented Employees in a Startup.
  • The Potential of Renewable Energy Entrepreneurship.
  • Growth Hacking Techniques for Early-Stage Startups.
  • The Impact of 3D Printing on Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship.
  • Lean Startup: Minimizing Waste and Maximizing Value.
  • The Gig Economy’s Influence on Traditional Business Models.
  • Addressing the Unique Challenges of Solo Entrepreneurship.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility in Entrepreneurship.
  • The Impact of Industry 4.0 on Entrepreneurship.
  • The Role of Non-profit Organizations in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.
  • Local vs. Global: Scaling Your Business Effectively.
  • Intrapreneurship: Encouraging Innovation Within Large Organizations.
  • The Contribution of Side Hustles to the Entrepreneurial Landscape.
  • Is Entrepreneurship the Key to Economic Growth?
  • The Pros and Cons of Family and Friends as Investors.
  • Enhancing Business Processes With Automation.
  • Changing Customer Expectations and How Businesses Can Adapt.
  • The Synergy Between Academia and Entrepreneurship.
  • The Role of Blockchain in Innovative Business Practices.
  • Transitioning From a Corporate Job to Entrepreneurship.
  • The Impact of Expatriates on Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • The Phenomena of Lifestyle Entrepreneurship.
  • Understanding the Customer Journey in the Digital Era.
  • Navigating the Legalities of E-business.
  • Combating Climate Change Through Innovative Startups.
  • The Future of Work: Entrepreneurial Perspectives.
  • Making the Most of Entrepreneurial Competitions and Awards.
  • The Practice of Responsible Entrepreneurship.
  • Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Business Success.
  • The Influence of Open-Source Software on Technology Startups.
  • How to Foster Creativity and Innovation in Your Business.
  • Preparing for and Managing Business Crises Effectively.
  • The Power of Micro-Enterprises in Stimulating Local Economies.
  • Strategies for Effective Delegation in a Growing Business.
  • The Potential Impact of Universal Basic Income on Entrepreneurship.
  • Understanding and Leveraging Business Analytics.
  • Building a Mission-Driven Business: The Key to Long-Lasting Success?
  • Creating a Business That Embodies Personal Values.
  • Overcoming Societal and Self-Imposed Barriers to Entrepreneurship.
  • The Impact of Tourism on Local Entrepreneurship.
  • Online Marketplaces: Opportunities and Threats for Small Businesses.
  • Successful Product Launches: Strategies and Lessons Learned.
  • The Perks and Pitfalls of Remote Entrepreneurship.
  • Exploring the Role of Incubators in Startup Success.
  • Creating a Culture of Accountability in a Startup.
  • The Art of Negotiation for Entrepreneurs.
  • Strategies for Successful Mergers and Acquisitions in Small Businesses.
  • Surviving the First Year: Tips for New Entrepreneurs.
  • The Potential of Biotechnology Startups.
  • Contemporary Entrepreneurial Leadership Styles and Their Effectiveness.
  • The Impact of Student Entrepreneurship on Career Prospects.
  • The Promise and Perils of Drop-Shipping Businesses.
  • How to Cultivate Customer Loyalty in a Digital Age.
  • Entrepreneurship and Mental Health: Managing Stress and Burnout.
  • The Implications of Brexit for Uk-Based Entrepreneurs.
  • Balancing Product Innovation With Customer Stability.
  • The Role of Business Incubators in Fostering Local Entrepreneurship.
  • Virtual Teams: A New Reality for Entrepreneurs.
  • Strategies to Build an Environmentally Sustainable Business.
  • The Advantages of Agile Methodology for Startups.
  • How to Protect Your Business Against Cyber Threats.
  • The Role of Influencers in Startup Marketing Campaigns.
  • Developing Countries and the Rise of Entrepreneurship.
  • The Effects of Trade Wars on Global Entrepreneurial Ventures.
  • The Advantages of Multilingualism in International Business.
  • Effective Risk Management in Early-Stage Startups.
  • The Role of Entrepreneurial Education in Shaping Future Leaders.
  • The Intersection of Entrepreneurship and Digital Privacy Concerns.
  • The Significance of User Experience Design for Startups.
  • Tackling the Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication in Business.
  • How to Use Big Data to Inform Business Decisions.
  • The Role of Government Grants in Supporting Innovative Startups.
  • Strategies for Building a Cross-Platform Brand Presence.
  • Entrepreneurship as a Career: Is It Right for You?
  • The Challenges and Benefits of Social Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries.

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'A Lobstrosity': Social Media Is Losing It Over Martha Stewart's Latest Meal Posting The 82-year-old caused quite a stir on Instagram this week.

By Emily Rella • Mar 22, 2024

Key Takeaways

  • Stewart recently shared a meal she had at Maison Barnes in New York City.
  • One particular photo of a lobster and chicken had her followers confused and wondering what exactly she was eating.
  • Maison Barnes is an extension of the upscale Café Boulud on the Upper East Side.

Martha Stewart is no stranger to controversy and raising brows, but her latest Instagram post has many scratching their heads and questioning her culinary taste.

On Instagram Wednesday, Stewart posted photos of a meal she had at the newly opened dining experience Maison Barnes, which is connected to the upscale Café Boulud in Manhattan's Upper East Side.

The lifestyle maven dined on various dishes, including pâté, salads, vegetables, desserts and, most notably, a "roast chicken and lobster." The land and sea combo had the 82-year-old's followers reeling.

Related: You Can Rent Martha Stewart's Farmhouse for Just $11.23 — Here's How

In the first photo she posted, the dish shows a whole chicken placed inside a lobster to create what many of her fans started calling a "chobster."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Martha Stewart (@marthastewart48)

Naturally, the unusual photograph had many talking, trying to figure out what — and how — exactly Stewart was eating.

"That's a lobstrosity," one commenter wrote.

"Martha what in fresh hell," another joked.

Unbothered, Stewart didn't seem to think twice about the look of the dish, barely addressing it in the caption.

Related: 'You Can't Possibly Get Everything Done': Martha Stewart Slams Remote Work, on 'Rampage' to Get Workers Back in the Office

"The wine list is sophisticated and excellent and the service delightful I cannot wait to return," she wrote nonchalantly.

According to Café Boulud's website , Maison Barnes is "dedicated to cultivating the French art de vivre," featuring a series of different "salon-like rooms."

The establishment does not list its menu online, and Café Boulud did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur 's request for comment on what exactly the "chobster" is.

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

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COMMENTS

  1. What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

    Read more on Business communication or related topics Power and influence, Presentation skills and Public speaking Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of ...

  2. The Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations in 2021

    To do this, open the Google Slides business presentation with the slide design you want. Click the desired slide and click Control-C to copy the slide to your clipboard. Open a second business presentation that you want to copy the slide to. Click the slide before where you want to insert the copied slide.

  3. 15 Expert Tips for Giving a Powerful Business Presentation

    2 Be enthusiastic. Believe me, vibes matter. No one wants to hear you drone on about a subject you don't care for. If you're tired and bored of your own presentation, your audience is probably feeling the same way. Anyone listening to you should know how passionate you are about the subject.

  4. How to Give a Presentation Like a Pro

    I've had the illustration burned into my mind ever since. Related: 10 Tips to Beat Your Fear of Public Speaking. 4. Don't let a slide deck do all the talking. Nobody has ever been truly inspired ...

  5. What's The Key To A Great Presentation? 10 Entrepreneurs Weigh In

    5. Flexibility And Authenticity. There is nothing more boring than watching someone get up in front of a crowd and read a speech. There is also nothing more awkward than watching someone try to ...

  6. How Presentations Boost Your Entrepreneurial Success

    Presentations can help you engage your audience and stakeholders as an entrepreneur, as you use storytelling and interaction techniques to connect with their emotions and motivations.

  7. Presentation Techniques Smart Entrepreneurs Use

    Presentation techniques are strategies every entrepreneur should know and use to connect with and engage your audience. You can avoid being bland or boring. ... Being aware of different presentation techniques is important for any entrepreneur. Since we present in a variety of ways, knowing what technique works well is important. The four ...

  8. The Core Presentation Skills Every Entrepreneur And Executive Need

    Your presentation skills as an entrepreneur lead customer and employee perception. As author and presentation expert Dr. Jeffrey Magee recommends, "Don't give others the chance to not be ...

  9. What Are Effective Presentation Skills (and How to Improve Them)

    Presentation skills are the abilities and qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicates information and ideas. They encompass what you say, how you structure it, and the materials you include to support what you say, such as slides, videos, or images. You'll make presentations at various ...

  10. 10 Presentation Trends to Help Your Next Pitch

    Narrate a story that relates to your topic, making it more relatable and memorable for your audience. Use visual elements. Incorporate high-quality images, graphics, and videos to support your ...

  11. How to Improve Your Presentation Skills as an Entrepreneur

    This article is going to teach you all about presentations. It will acquaint you with: 1) an introduction to presentations, 2) what makes you a good presenter, 3) preparing a great presentation, 4) delivering an effective presentation, 5) tools for presentations, and 6) a conclusion. INTRODUCTION TO PRESENTATIONS Almost all of us have at some point or other attended a presentation of some sort ...

  12. 5 Must-Have Presentation Skills for Entrepreneurs

    5. Observe the standard rules of presentation etiquette. Show up on time and present within the bounds of your requested time slot. Remember that all audiences are important and reflect your respect by being gracious and generous with your time. Make your intent clear from the start of your address, so your audience knows whether you seek ...

  13. 5 Presentation Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs

    5 Presentation Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs. Being an entrepreneur is not just about being your own boss; it's about believing in your product or service to the extent that you are able to convince buyers you have the right solution for them. In other words, you must be able to present valuable information and persuade your audience that ...

  14. How to Be a Better Communicator in 7 Steps

    If You Want to be Successful, Become a Better Speaker — Follow This 7-Step Process for Effective Speaking Discover the transformative power of mastering presentation skills with this 7-step process.

  15. 5 Must-Have Presentation Skills For Entrepreneurs To Ace The Race

    Infographics are a great way to summarize data and present them in a visually appealing way. You make it easier for people to digest information and make it interesting at the same time. 5. Adjust to Your Audience Accordingly. A good presenter needs to know how to interpret the non-verbal cues offered by the audience.

  16. How to Improve Your Entrepreneurship Presentation

    Learn six steps to improve your entrepreneurship presentation and convince investors to fund your venture. Find out how to identify the problem, seek feedback, revise, test, learn, and try again.

  17. Entrepreneurial Skills

    Some common themes are: Personal characteristics. Interpersonal skills. Critical and creative-thinking skills. Practical skills and knowledge. Regardless of how you define it, entrepreneurship isn't easy. So be prepared to do the "hard yards," even after you've learned the skills we describe below.

  18. 12 Entrepreneurial Skills for Success (With Examples)

    Here are 12 key skills every entrepreneur should strive for: Budgeting: All business ideas are limited by budgets. Successful entrepreneurship requires a firm grip on your business's financial reality, which means learning to manage budgets, analyze financial data, and understand cash flow patterns. This knowled ge is invaluable to your ...

  19. How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

    Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule: There should be a maximum of 10 slides - people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there's no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information. ... 11 design tips for beautiful presentations; 10 tips on how to make slides ...

  20. How Feedback Improves Presentation Skills in Entrepreneurship

    2 Seek feedback before, during, and after your presentation. Feedback is essential for improving your presentation skills, but you need to seek it from different sources and at different stages ...

  21. 1.1: Chapter 1

    Examples of Definitions of Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship can be defined as a field of business that. seeks to understand how opportunities to create something new (e.g., new products or services, new markets, new production processes or raw materials, new ways of organizing existing technologies) arise and are discovered or created by specific persons, who then use various means to ...

  22. 12+ Idea Generation Techniques in Entrepreneurship: From Concept to

    Idea Generation Techniques in Entrepreneurship. Have a close look at the ideas generation techniques in entrepreneurship:-Brainstorming. This tried-and-true technique involves gathering a diverse group of individuals, often from different backgrounds and perspectives, to generate a wide range of ideas.

  23. 200 Entrepreneurship Topics

    Browse through our selection of 200 stimulating entrepreneurship topics, meticulously crafted to meet the interests and business goals of every budding entrepreneur. The Rise of the Gig Economy and Its Impact on Entrepreneurship. Understanding the Lean Startup Methodology. The Importance of Adaptability in the Entrepreneurial Journey.

  24. Entrepreneur Business Plan

    Start by detailing your business plan with the help of this editable template. Let the simplicity and the wavy lines be the perfect companions for your content. This template contains several useful sections such as business overview, market analysis or marketing, management or operating plan. There are some pictures too to highlight the human ...

  25. Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Poster Presentation Describing

    Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP) (Tonix or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company with marketed products and a pipeline of development candidates, today announces a poster presentation at the American Chemistry Society (ACS) Spring 2024 Meeting, held March 17-21, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

  26. Trailblazing Black Women Entrepreneurs Share How They're Breaking

    52,374. That's how many Black women-owned businesses there were in the U.S. in 2020. Although this number might seem insignificant, their impact can be felt. According to J.P. Morgan, Black women ...

  27. Essential Tips for Family Business Success

    A recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report found that across 48 economies, "75% of entrepreneurs and 81% of established business owners co-own and/or co-manage their businesses with family ...

  28. Jason Tartick on Tax Mistakes, Avoiding Audits

    'Entrepreneur' spoke with personal finance expert and 'The Bachelorette' star Jason Tartick about common mistakes businesses and individuals make when filing taxes — and how to best avoid an audit.

  29. Martha Stewart Leaves Internet Confused After Dinner Post

    Martha Stewart is no stranger to controversy and raising brows, but her latest Instagram post has many scratching their heads and questioning her culinary taste.. On Instagram Wednesday, Stewart ...