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Three Signs That You Should be an Entrepreneur

joanna track

Wondering if it’s time to start your own business? If you are at that crossroad in your career, Joanna Track is here to help you get over to the other side. As a serial entrepreneur — she’s the founder of sweetspot.ca, eLuxe.ca, Good Eggs & Co., and The Bullet — Joanna has figured out how to judge if you’re ready for your next (or first) venture.

By Joanna Track


I love starting businesses. While some people find that less palatable than a root canal, for me, the inception is my sweet spot. And the recent launch of my latest brain child, a daily email news digest called The Bullet, makes it my fourth time at this particular rodeo.
But it’s not without angst. While I relish in the adrenaline rush I get from developing the idea, bringing my team together, and breathing life into the concept, I can admit that there are moments when the words “What was I thinking?” are raging through my head (usually at 3am).
Like you, I have a voice inside of me that rolls all of my fears and insecurities into one giant ball of anxiety. It sounds exactly like the voice of the skeptics and naysayers. And it asks why I want to put myself on the line again, take a chance, dance with potential failure, make more work for myself, and so on.
How do I get past it? By reminding myself of what I was thinking and feeling when I decided to give it another shot. And if these resonate with you, it might be your time for a new venture, too.

 

1. You need to play in the game.

While I’ve met some great people and done interesting work over the last three years at my consultancy firm, Good Eggs & Co., at times I felt like the overqualified water girl – very supportive, but not part of the action. If your current role has you feeling like a cog in the wheel rather than the captain of your ship, you might have just the personality needed for running your own business.

 

2. You want to practice what you preach.

I’ve spent over a decade building content platforms and strategies both for my own brands and for clients. I know it requires dedication, commitment and passion for a subject. The Bullet checks all those boxes for me. What ignites your passion?

 

3. You like to be uncomfortable.

My latest venture has me writing about the news. Why is this uncomfortable? Because I spent the early part of my life limiting my need to string a sentence together (that may seem like an odd reason to major in mathematics, but it’s true). Why do I love it? Because it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. If you love expanding your knowledge and expertise, there’s no school quite like entrepreneurship.

So, here I am. I get up at 5:45am to watch and read the news, edit copy, update HTML, and send the Daily Bullet into the world. Could it be a colossal failure? Possibly. Could your idea for a business be a big flop? Maybe. But we both have a chance for great success, and we get to do it on our terms.