The word ‘entrepreneur’ is something of a blanket term. The truth is that the majority of entrepreneurs aren’t defined by the jobs they do, but how they do them. According to the Kolbe Test and roughly speaking, entrepreneurs can be broken down into five categories: Implementers, Follow-Throughs, Fact-Finders, On-base Hitters and Home-run Sluggers. While they may all be American terms, the profile of each fits the archetypes to by found in entrepreneurial business across the world. Let’s take a look at each and see if we can work out which one you are!
1) Implementers.
Implementers are the architects of physical dreams. They tend to be the people who take an existing idea and improve upon it. While the ideas they use may not be their own, they use innovative means and creative methods to perfect their version of what already exists. Implementers are those who are forever trying to reinvent the wheel – and many of them do so, with great success. Scott David Cook, the founder of Intuit is a good example of this type of entrepreneur. The inspiration for Intuit came simply from listening to his wife complaining about the difficulty of paying bills. He saw the existing method and improved upon it, implementing a solution.
2) Follow-Throughs.
These entrepreneurs are blessed with logical insight; they can see how best to join the dots between A and Z. However, part of the secret to their success is that they area aware of the benefits that a tight structure can bring. They think in a linear fashion and understand that rewarding colleagues along the way can help increase productivity and loyalty. Entrepreneur James Caan is a classic example of the Follow-Through. He decided very early on that he didn’t want to be part of his father’s textiles business and, after spending years working in a recruitment agency, took what he had learned to successfully build his own business.
3) Fact Finders
Fact Finders are entrepreneurs who ask endless questions before making decisions. However, their thought patterns aren’t necessarily linear, for they are aware that each answer throws up a whole new set of questions. Fact Finders like to gain a detailed overview of an industry, product or service, before they implement their plans. However, when they do make their move, it’s often fast and brings quick recognition. Richard Branson is a good example of this type of entrepreneur. He has moved incrementally through each of the industries he’s put a foot in, but always with seemingly supernatural success!
4) On-base Hitters
On-base Hitters tend to work steadily, achieving success in bite-sized chunks. They are likely to have various fingers in various pies, yet dedicate themselves equally to each project until each achieves their own degree of success. Rene Lacarte, the founder of PayCycle is a prime example, having established a series of businesses similar to his flagship company and nurturing them all.
5) Home-run Sluggers
Home-run Sluggers are the guys with the Big Vision. They’re not content with just being successful within their own industries or only being known within certain fields; their ideas tend to be big, revolutionary and ones that will hit the headlines. Lord Alan Sugar is a typical Home-run Slugger. Although he was well known within the business sector, he has combined his skills with the media to create TV shows based around what he knows that have made him into a household name.