How small business owners think
Owners of small businesses are likely to fall into one of three attitudinal profiles according to the latest research by the Enterprise Council on Small Business (ECSB).
"We identified these profiles in an effort to dispel this idea that small businesses are alike, that all small businesses are in it for the money, that all small businesses are entrepreneurs," said Stephen Smyth, Director - Relationship Management at the ECSB. "It's just not the case."
The three profiles are:
Mountain Climbers: These owners are entrepreneurs who are motivated by growth and achievement. Just two percent of small business owners fall into this category, according to the ECSB. "They would be most like a corporate CEO," Smyth said. "They'll probably be educated in business; they're highly aggressive. They're really in it for the thrill of running a business."
Freedom Fighters: The people in this group represent 24 percent of small business owners and tend to be corporate refugees - those who spent some time in business and have decided for various lifestyle reasons to get out of corporate life. "They tend to like to spend time with their families or in pursuit of hobbies or other interests, and the business allows them to do that," Smyth said.
Craftspeople: At 74 percent of small business owners this is the biggest group. It comprises people like photographers, cabinet makers and plumbers. "These folks are really not at all business people," Smyth said. "The business is secondary; they run a business because they need to to allow them to ply their trade."
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