Here’s How You Can Bring Your Entrepreneurial Spirit to a Corporate Setting

The path of entrepreneurship provides some of the most well-rounded, foundational, and valuable experiences one can have in business.

But, the things that make entrepreneurship so rewarding - such as cross-department problem solving, creative freedom and independence - can also have difficulty translating to an established corporate setting.

I’ve seen it firsthand. I first found success as an entrepreneur in the hospitality sector, before applying the skills I honed to success in corporate leadership.

Whether you’re treading a similar path - or working on your own business side hustle in addition to working your corporate career - your unique experience can bring incredible value to a larger organization.

Here are five of the most impactful ways I’ve learned to use my entrepreneurial skills to go corporate, and thrive.

New ideas

As an entrepreneur, new ideas are your currency. When you’re used to coming up with new ways of doing things on the daily, you might be surprised to see how distinctly unoriginal a corporate workplace can be. That innovation you specialize in can transform a workplace that is stuck in its ways - and be invaluable in the process.

Problem-solving

Entrepreneurs know how to put all their skills together in a seamless way, working across many departments at once, understanding how everything works together to achieve the greater vision of the business. This understanding, often not developed by those who have only experienced working with their specific team and discipline, allows for unrivalled logical problem-solving skills.

Work ethic

Running your own business teaches you schedule discipline like no other: the harder you work, the greater the success of the business and the higher your profitability. There is no such thing as clocking in and clocking out for the day when you’re a business owner. Even to today I still start and end my day the same way. Even though my focus has shifted and I manage less people, my core work ethic has been a driving force for my success.

Self-starter

There’s no greater self-starter than someone who runs their own business. Leverage the lessons you’ve learned in making your business happen for you, and in a corporate job, remember that you shouldn’t wait for people to tell you to move - take the self-starting initiative, and move yourself.

Goal-oriented

Having an entrepreneurial mindset means that you’re invested in the business and your career as a whole. You’re not simply there to fulfill the necessary hours on your contract and then leave - you go above and beyond to achieve your, and your company’s, greater goals. Use that goal-oriented thinking to support your team and the other people around you.

Entrepreneurship is not just a singular skill set, it is someone who has gained cross-functional skills and can apply it to the industry at hand. The 80/20 rule applies where; 80 percent of a business lies in common business practices of operations, marketing, finance, and human resources and the other 20% can be learned depending on the business at hand.

Developing a strong business acumen allows you to be a force at any organization. What does entrepreneurship mean to you? Share and comment below.