While I was chatting in one of our meeting rooms at church, my 9-year-old son interrupted me to talk about his latest gadget idea. His enthusiasm was contagious and I told my friend how he earned $12 that week selling his glass bead bracelets on our front yard. He looks at her and explains: “I am an entrepreneur.” He has been a businessperson from a young age, negotiating endlessly with us, from the length of ‘time out’ to how much he should earn for doing odd jobs around the house. He chastises his 8-year-old brother for leaving their ‘merchandise’ unsupervised on the front lawn, and threatens to fire him…

Some individuals are born with characteristics which ensure their successful survival in a changing entrepreneurial environment; others, acquire those characteristics precisely because of their environment. In either case, they are bound to succeed provided they follow basic steps and have the passion it takes to carry their business idea through.

Why passion? Because there is no other way of getting others to join in on your wild trip unless you are enthusiastic about your idea. It is your passion which will help you get the necessary funding (only utmost excitement could make you dig in your pocket for a credit card and go into debt, albeit temporarily, to fund your business if it came to that!), hire the right people, and, most importantly, sell your product/service.

Passion and determination go hand in hand. Determination will muffle the noise from Naysayers, get you over hurdles and occasional self-doubt. While not blind, determination sees you through all the long hours as you start up a company, or reinvent your business when market conditions require.

How do you feel about your business today? Can you still find the burning fire of passion and determination within? If not, it may be time to re-evaluate your business model, take a good look at your team to ensure they are the best fit for you and the company, or it may be time to move on to the next venture. You are the head of the company, its best salesperson. When passion fades, a thorough ‘check-up’ is in order before it affects the bottom line.

As for Christopher, my son, my only word of advice is: Do not let anything or anyone put out your fire!