Get All Access for $5/mo

5 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Do Differently From determining product-market fit to continually reinvesting in themselves, here is what makes some entrepreneurs stand the test of time.

By Thomas Oppong Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Helga Esteb | Shutterstock
Richard Branson

Every entrepreneurial story is different and unique but each one begins with someone starting something and taking a chance on a dream. Sometimes it turns out big and other times it fails. Either way, they keep moving forward and getting stuff done.

Here are a few things that successful entrepreneurs do differently:

1. They spot solutions in problems.

"A business is simply an idea to make other people's lives better" says Richard Branson.

Successful entrepreneurs are constantly figuring out how best to tackle obstacles and challenges they encounter daily -- they don't see problems but opportunities. Every great entrepreneur is constantly finding ways to make ideas and solutions work.

When you have a ready market, be sure your solution will solve real problem your target market have.

2. They keep on investing in viable business ideas.

Insanely great entrepreneurs don't have an end game. They aren't looking to achieve "enough." Often, they spend much less than they earn and invest their profits in new ventures or better ways to work on the same idea.

Related: 7 Million-Dollar Habits of the Super Successful

3. They invest in their own skills.

You can never go wrong with investing in yourself -- and successful entrepreneurs know that.

Entrepreneurs who value self-development invest their time each week in resources that will make them better. They are known to trade their free time for increased skills or knowledge. They also know the value of constantly learning, as It's the only way to stay relevant in an ever-changing business world.

4. They still own assets that compound.

The most efficient way to build wealth is to own a part of a company with the most wealthy entrepreneurs today owning large percentages of their businesses. They hang on to every precious percentage of ownership and continue to invest in long-term assets that will pay off in the future.

5. They always play to their strengths.

Successful entrepreneurs concentrate on what they do best by playing to your strengths and outsourcing their weaknesses.

The greatest entrepreneurs have hired some of the smartest people in their industries to work on what they can't do but have to do. You can't do it all alone.

Related: 15 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Do Every Day

Thomas Oppong

Founder @Alltopstartups

Thomas Oppong is the founder of Alltopstartups.com, a startup resource site, and the curator at Postanly Weekly, a digest of the best productivity posts around the web.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

Is One Company to Blame for Soaring Rental Prices in the U.S.?

The FBI recently raided a major corporate landlord while investigating a rent price-fixing scheme. Here's what we know.

Side Hustle

This Former Starbucks Employee Started a Side Hustle That's Making More Than $70,000 a Month — and He's Not Done Yet

When Tom Saar moved to New York City, he spotted a lucrative business opportunity.

Business News

Amazon Has a Blank Book Problem: Buyers Report Receiving Fakes of Bestselling UFO Book

The book looked fine on the outside, but the inside was out-of-this-world.

Business News

Paramount Leadership Alludes to Layoffs If Merger Does Not Go Through

Paramount is awaiting approval on its merger with Skydance Media from majority shareholder Shari Redstone.

Marketing

6 SEO Tips to Help You Rank in the New Era of Quality Content

What is the best SEO strategy after Google's March 2024 core update? Here's what you need to know.

Business News

Microsoft Reportedly Lays Off Over 1,500 Employees in Cloud Sector as Partnership with OpenAI Strengthens

Alphabet also reportedly laid off employees from several teams in Google's cloud unit last week.