Starting a Business in Berlin

14 15 Starting a Business in Berlin A Beginner’s Guide CHAPTER 2 What are my strengths? PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS Whether your new business succeeds or fails in the long term is entirely up to you. At the end of the day, failures are always the result of businessmen making errors of judgement when it comes to their own personality traits or performance. You don’t have to have all the attributes and knowledge requi- red to start a successful business from day one. You should, however, be able to make a realistic assessment of your own abilities and have found a way of dealing with your shortco- mings before you become self-employed. Personal characteristics Successful businessmen tend to have certain personality traits in common, such as self-discipline, determination, a fertile imagination, organisational skills and risk awareness. ‘Successful types’ also tend to be able to communicate well with others both verbally and in writing. A supportive social environment also plays an important role.