I couldn't sell a stove to an Innuit. I work hard but I am not very entrepreneurial. I admire people like Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. They set up and grew their own profitable companies when they were very young. It got me wondering whether entrepreneurs are born with the skills they need or if men and women can be trained to earn money after spotting and exploring opportunities in the marketplace.
For UK business consultant Peter Ryding, genes have a great deal to do with it. He says that an individual's talent for business is 70% born, 10% nurture, and 20% trainable.
Another expert, Brian Morgan, professor of entrepreneurship at Cardiff Metropolitan University, places more importance on acquired knowledge. He says business skills can be learned "through college courses or by working with a large company in a sector that the budding entrepreneur is keen to enter."
"This experience might help the candidate to develop some of the fundamental business and networking skills," adds Mr Morgan.
The owner of a chain of restaurants in the UK, Luke Johnson, says that "taking charge of your working life can actually be a better choice to control your own destiny."
A friend of mine did exactly that. She put a counter in a crowded shopping centre and sold coconut macaroons. She prepared a business plan, got a bank loan and organised some advertising.
Her start-up was successful in the beginning. She was proud of her coconut macaroons. Well, maybe too proud - as she offered free samples to everybody. She'd give away bags of her cakes.
Profits started to go down but her entrepreneurship did help her to control her own destiny. The owner of a big department store in the shopping centre was impressed by the caring way she dealt with her customers. They ended up getting married. My friend is a born entrepreneur. She now has coconut macaroon counters all over town.
Quiz 測驗 1. Why does the article's author admire Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg?
Because they are successful entrepreneurs.
2. Who believes that people are born entrepreneurs?
UK business consultant Peter Ryding.
3. What did the author's friend have to do to open her own company?
Prepare a business plan, get a bank loan and organise advertising.
4. What made her profits go down?
She was giving away too much of her product instead of selling it.
5. Which expression means 'happy with your own achievement'?
Proud.
Glossary 词汇表 an Innuit（美洲愛斯基人的）伊努伊特族人 entrepreneurial具有企業家素質的，創業的 profitable盈利的，賺錢的 an entrepreneur企業家 to spot發現 the marketplace市場 a consultant顧問 nurture依靠培養得來的 entrepreneurship企業家精神，企業家身份 acquired knowledge學到的知識 a budding entrepreneur初露頭角的企業家 networking skills建立人際關係技能 a chain (of restaurants)連鎖（餐廳） a counter櫃台 a business plan經營計劃，商業企劃 a bank loan銀行貸款 advertising登廣告 a start-up一個剛創辦的公司 a free sample免費贈送的樣品 profit利潤
