My Secret Sauce

1.
a. Prior experience. My experience in running a company, I started a landscaping service two years ago, sets me apart from many my age. I also have interned with a wealth management company and learned a lot about how to successfully mange the finances of a company.
b. Empathy. My ability to relate to and understand many different types of people will be key if I am to succeed. I will be interacting with people of various ages and needs so being able to connect with customers and employees is huge.
c. Ability to grow. I think one of the more underrated aspects of human capital is potential. One of the biggest positives I have going for me is the position I am in. I am young and attending a top university. In the next couple years I will be offered opportunities to learn and grow as an entrepreneur that few have access to.
d. Drive. My unwillingness to just quit will be an asset to me when starting this venture. When faced with obstacles, I won't back down, but will actively seek creative solutions. The passion I have for my ideas will give me an advantage because I am willing to put in the extra work necessary to succeed.
e. Delegate. One of my strong suits is the ability to delegate. I have been able to successfully delegate responsibilities in the most efficient manner in past ventures and see that skill carrying over.

Beth talked about how my leadership and people skills would make me a successful entrepreneur. She also mentioned that my determination will allow me to persevere through challenges that an entrepreneur might face.  

Chris said I was outgoing and very personable. In addition, he said my work ethic and organization will allow me to meet deadlines.

Nick said I was level-headed and perform well under pressure which will help me make tough decisions. Then, he said my ability to delegate will be an asset for me. Finally, he said I can connect with a wide variety of people which allow me to develop relationships with them on a more personal level.

My dad said the three things that set me apart as an entrepreneur are my initiative, ingenuity and critical thinking skills.

My mom said my drive will set me apart as an entrepreneur. She also said that my open-mindedness and thirst for knowledge would make me a good entrepreneur and problem solver. 

3.  From my interviews, I saw that others also viewed me as someone with great empathy/people skills, strong drive and the ability to delegate well. My ability to grow is tied in with my thirst for knowledge, which was also mentioned. The one thing on my list that wasn't mentioned was prior experience. My interviewees tended to only speak to qualities and skill, not knowledge or experience, which may have been a result of the way I phrased my question. If I were revising my list, I'd focus on the first three interviews because one must take what parents think about their child with a grain of salt. I'd change empathy to people skills because while similar, empathy was less emphasized by my interviewees. Although it wasn't mentioned, I think I'd keep prior experience because I've already found some of the lessons I've learned useful in this class and the real world.