When we talking about entrepreneurs, we want to know what is the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs? Even though new characteristics are continually being added to the list, it does provide important insight into the entrepreneurial perspective.

1.Initiative and Responsibility

Most researchers agree that effective entrepreneurs actively seek and take the initiative. They willingly put themselves in situations where they are personally responsible for the success or failure of the operation. Entrepreneurs feel a personal responsibility for the outcome of ventures in which they are associated. They like to take initiative in solving problem where no leadership exists.

2. High Degree of Commitment

Launching a venture successfully requires total commitment from entrepreneurs. This commitment helps entrepreneurs to overcome business-threatening mistakes and obstacles. Entrepreneurs commitment to their ideas and ventures they spawn determine how successful those ventures ultimately becomes.

3. Opportunity Orientation

Entrepreneurs focus and start on opportunities rather than on resources, structure or strategy. They begin with opportunities and let their understanding of them guide other important issues. Entrepreneurs have a well- defined sense of searching for opportunities. In searching for new business opportunities, entrepreneurs observe the same events other people do, but they see something different. Entrepreneurs are not only capable of searching for opportunities but also capable of seizing extraordinary opportunities.

4. Moderate Risk Taker

Entrepreneurs are not wild risk takers; they are calculated risk takers. When entrepreneurs participate in any venture, they do so in a very calculated, carefully thought manner. They often avoid taking unnecessary risks.

5. Confident & Optimistic

Entrepreneurs typically have an abundance of confidence in their ability to succeed. They tend to be optimistic about their chances for success, and usually their optimism is based on reality. The high level of confidence and optimism explains why some of the most successful entrepreneurs have failed in business, often more then once, before finally succeeding.

6. Creative and Innovative

Creativity and innovative are important for entrepreneurs to gain a competitive advantage in their ventures. Through their creative and innovative minds and imagination, entrepreneurs can produce unique goods and services for customers. Creativity is not inherited, it can be learned.

7. Seeking Feedback

Entrepreneurs like to know how they are doing and are constantly looking for reinforcement. They actively seek and use feedback to improve themselves and their venture performance. From feedback, entrepreneurs can learn from their mistakes.

8. Drive to achieve

Achievement seems to be the primary motivating forces behind entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are self-starters who internally have a strong desire to complete, to excel,and to pursue and attain challenging goals. One of the common misconceptions about entrepreneurs is that they are driven wholly by desire to make money. To entrepreneurs, money is simply a symbol of achievement. It is not the driving motive of most entrepreneurs.

9. Ability to Set Vision

Entrepreneurs know what they want to achieve. They have a vision or concept of what they can be. Not all entrepreneurs have predetermined visions for their firm. In many cases, this vision develops over time as entrepreneur begins to realise what the firm is and what it can become.

10. Skilled at Organising

Building a venture "from scratch" is not easy. So, entrepreneurs know how to put the right people to accomplish a task. Entrepreneurs are able to organise their resources in an effective way so as to inform their visions into reality.

11. Internal Locus of Control

Entrepreneurs believe that the success or failure of their venture depends on themselves. Their accomplishments and setbacks are within their own control and influence, and they can affect the outcome of the actions.

12. Tolerance of Failure

Entrepreneurs do not become disappointed, discouraged or depressed by failure. They use failure as a learning experience. In difficult times, they still look for opportunities. Most entrepreneurs believe they learn more from their early failures than from their early successes.

13. High Level of Energy

Entrepreneurs are more energetic than the average person. Entrepreneurs need to have a high level of energy so as to cope with the extraordinary workload and the stressful demands they face. That energy may be a critical factor, given the incredible effort required to start-up a company.

14. Team Building

Most successful entrepreneurs have highly qualified, well motivated teams that help handle the venture's growth and developments.

15. Independent

Entrepreneurs are independent people. They like to accomplish tasks in their own way. This does not mean entrepreneurs must make all the decisions. They want to have authority to make important decisions.

16. Flexibility

Entrepreneurs are not rigid in their venture. They are flexible and have abilities to adapt to the changing world economy, rigidity often leads to failure.

If u want try one of the online tests by accessing http://bizmove.com/other/quiz.htm

(OUMM2103 Entrepreneurship) http://www.oum.edu.my/

Everyone need motivate, I think everyone in Malaysia now who is Irfan Khairi the Malaysian youngest internet millionaire. 1st Jan 2009 he made a song's who can motivate everyone when listening. The song's is "Selamanya" and "Reaching Higher".

Click here to listening to the song SELAMANYA!
http://www.razzimuzik.com/dedikasi/selamanya.htm

Click here to listening to the song REACHING HIGHER!
http://www.razzimuzik.com/dedikasi/reachinghigher.htm

SELAMANYA
=========
Performed by: Razzi.muz.ik
Composed by: Johan Nawawi
Lyrics by: IK

Syukur ku
Kepada Tuhan
ooo
Kau di sini

Dari dulu kita bersama
Teman sejati

Ku damba kamu teman
Waktu jatuh bangun
Tak kira hujan terang
Pelengkap ku...

chorus:

Akan kita
Tempuh bersama
Menuju
Bersama selamanya

Akan kita
Hingga akhirnya
Gemilang
Bersama selamanya

Selamanya...

Takkan ku siakan lagi
ikatan ini...

Ku damba kamu teman
Waktu jatuh bangun
Tak kira hujan terang
Pelengkap ku...

Akan kita
Tempuh bersama
Menuju
Bersama selamanya

Akan kita
Hingga akhirnya
Gemilang
Bersama selamanya
Selamanya.... oooh

Syukur ku
Kepada Tuhan
ooo
Kau di sini
Selamanya

REACHING FOR THE STARS
======================
Lagu: Zul Mahat
Lirik: Irfan Khairi (IK)

Looking back
To the times I had
I never knew I'd come this far
Away...

Here I am
Ain't turning back again
The dream I had seems so close
To me...

I will fight
Everytime I fall
And one night
You'll see me standing tall

I'm reaching for the sky
I'll raise the stakes
I'll make mistakes
But I'll do it my way

I'm reaching for the stars
I'm not afraid
I will not break
No matter what they say to me

I'm reaching for the sky
I'll take my stance
I'll grab this chance
With all my heart and soul

I'm reaching higher... higher
Reaching for the stars

image by mgcpuzzles.com

The positive result of team-work are very obvious. They produce an effect called SYNERGY - meaning that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts: that a few people working together can produce more shoes per person, through specialisation, etc. than one person working at it alone.

A team is a group of people working toward specific objectives in given operational situation. Teams must have purpose, know that the individual and organisational objectives are. This is followed by the question of how they fit into the organisational structure, the type of power they possess, their clear plan of duties and responsibilities and the people who are to be members of it.

Texas Instuments Malaysia have teams with revolving leadership, Sharp has urgent development project teams which have their own budgets, recruit their own people, purchase their own equipment. Normally, Sharp streams have a life span of eighteen months. Their objective - the team is to identify potential for technological development.

Small workgroups, between four to twenty people, can have responsibility to manage their day-to-day job functions. Team members can set their own goals, share workload and engage in cross training. Self-directed teams operate with little supervision and can make important decisions. High performance, cutting wastage, etc.

Building group team spirit and working towards enhanced results is one of the major function in management. Excellent companies, inevitably, posses, superior team spirit and owesome work.

TeamWork

Coming Together is a Beginning
Keeping Together is Progress
Working Together is Success

A Team
.....a group of people with complimentary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

TeamWork
Working together ordinari people can perform extraordinary feats.
They can lift things a little higher and a little further towards greater heights.

Indicators of Poor Teamworks

Lack of open disagreement
Failure to share information
Conflicts within the team
Low commitment
Tension and stress
High employee turnover
Increased absenteeism

Indicators of Good Teamwork

Open communication
Open disagreement
Productive meetings
Low tension and stress
Low staff turnover
Few complaints or grievances

Trainers Alliances

Studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and the American Psychological Association show that stress on the job siphons of more than US$500 billion from the economy. A survey by an insurance company showed that 50% of those interviewed said that stress reduced their productivity. 46% said that they experienced more job stress now than a few years ago. Minor illnesses like headaches, backaches, anxiety and fatigue and major illness like hypertension, heart attacks, ulcers, strokes are common in places where workers experiences a high level of stress. How will this apply in Malaysia? We witness a high rural urban migration, we see the setting up of high-tech fast paced industries ; we rush to and from work. Many of us are in the rat race, working ourselves towards becoming type A personalities.

A neglected risk factor.

Stress is a highly complex and personal matter. It affects all of us in the way we feel, behave, perform at work, and fall prey to accidents or illness. Stress occurs whenever we feel under any pressure. It also a response to any situation to which we are accustomed. It is virtually impossible to formulate an accurate definition of stress because it varies so much according to person's perception of situation, as well as his ability to cope it.

Perception of Stress.

Different people, when confronted with the same information, situation or problem, will respond to it in different ways. What feels like overwhelming stress to one person may be a stimulating challenge to another or mere trifle to a third person.

Our genetic endowment, upbringing, education and previous experience in dealing with such situations will determine whether they are challenging, threatening, acceptable or boring and tension, physiological, such as a rise in blood pressure; or behavioral, such as defying authority.

Some Stress is Necessary.

A certain amount of stress is essential for our personal growth; it gives us a zest for life, spurs us on, keep us going and makes us creative. Too few challenges make our lives boring and frustrating and this can be just as stressful as too many challenges. It has been said that finding the right balance is like adjusting the strings of a musical instrument to obtain melodies tune : too loose the tune will break.

Stress is a fact of life : we can't escape it. Any change, pleasant or not, is stressful to some degree. A new love affair, getting married, going on holiday and being promoted are all examples of positive kind of stress. Bereavement, being burgled and breaking leg, on the other hand, are all negative type of stress, but as long as these experiences are few and far between, most of us would recover from them without any long-term ill effects. Becoming tense over making a difficult decision, getting anxious about the outcome of an uncertain situation, worrying about the problems of relationships with others and feeling frightened when faced with dangers are all perfectly normal reactions. The stress response prepares us to face all these difficult situations.

How to Recognize Stress

In order to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress in yourself or anyone else, it is necessary to understand what effect it has on the body and mind and on behavior.

The "fight or flight" machanism
Whenever we receive a stress signal, whether real or imaginary, a biological mechanism called the "fight or flight" response comes into operation. The situations that cause this response are known as stressors.

• As soon as the brain receives a stress signal, the production of adrenaline and other stress hormones is stepped up
• The liver release sugar and fats, which flow into the bloodstream to provide fuel for quick energy
• Red blood cells flood the blood-stream, carrying more oxygen to the muscles of the limbs and brain
• The heart beats faster and blood pressure rises, ensuring that sufficient blood reaches the necessary areas. This can sometimes be felt as pounding heart of racing pulse
• The blood clotting mechanism is activated in anticipation of injury. This clotting mechanism ensures that the clots seal up the injured blood vessels
• The muscles become tense in preparation for action: leg muscles are tense in readiness to run; fists and jaw are clenched, ready to fight
• Digestion ceases, so blood may be diverted to the muscles and brain
• Perspiration increases in anticipation of the heat that may be induced by fighting
• The mouths feel dry
• The bowel and bladder muscles may become loose so there may be desire to defecate or urinate
• The pupils dilate to let more light in so that you can see in the dark
• The senses are heightened, enabling quick action and decision making

The person who undergoes these changes is in prime state of readiness to deal with danger, challenges or other feel of imaginary demands. It is also important, however, to recognize that this state is a temporary one, reserved to deal with emergencies. The body cannot maintain it as a lasting condition.

Once the immediate threat has been removed or overcome, or after we have adapted to the disturbance, a reverse mechanism is activated and the body returns to its normal state. If however, the stressor persists, another stressor develops or the resistance continues after the stressor has been removed, the alarm stage is replaced by stress response which can show itself in a variety of ways.

Managing Strategies for Eliminating

Type of Stressor = Elimination Strategies

Time = Effective Time Management, Efficiency Time Management,
Delegating

Encounter = Collobaration and clan building, interpersonal competency

Situational = Work design

Anticipatory = Goal setting, Small wins

Article by Trainer Alliance - Corporate Learning Provider

Remember at local TV advertised that said " Kami bukan Ah Long, Kami mau tolong. "

Malaysian Entrepreneurs who are keen to venture into small business or increase their working capital should apply for a loan from Yayasan TEKUN Nasional (YTN) instead of turning to unscrupulous 'Ah Long' for the loan.

The Entrepreneur Fund (TEKUN) managed by YTN had disbursed up to 134,000 small loans to about 80,000 entrepreneurs all over the country up to December 2006.

YTN managing director Syed Kamarulzaman Syed Zainol Khodki Shahabudin said that under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, YTN had been allocated RM350 million and that it had no problems in giving out loans to assist small-scale entrepreneurs.

"Anyone who fulfils the loan conditions should be able to obtain the loan. It's so much better and safer than borrowing from a loan shark," he said.

CONDITIONS SET BY TEKUN

Of late, "Ah Longs" have been hogging the headlines for resorting to criminal intimidation and other brutal tactics against those who failed to pay up. Though the media has given wide coverage on the issue, there are still individuals who are ignorant and resort to borrowing from these loan sharks.

Some gave the excuse for turning to "Ah Longs" because agencies like TEKUN, MARA and banks failed to help them.

In refuting this, Syed Kamarulzaman explained that the conditions imposed for loans by TEKUN were minimal but if they failed to fulfil YTN's prerequisites, they would not get the loans.

"The borrowers only need a permit, place to conduct the business and they must conduct the business full time. The process is facilitated by 192 TEKUN branches all over the nation with the cooperation of the District Entrepreneur Development Council (MPUD).

Unlike other financial agencies, TEKUN does not require the loan applicants to do much paperwork. They each need to fill up one form only.

"We also have to ensure that with the loan, they can do business and the income generated can be used to pay back the loan," he said.

LOAN PROCESS

In the early days, loans were approved within 90 days. But now the process takes only 45 days.

"For a short-term loan, like for operating a Ramadan stall, the process takes only two weeks," Syed Kamarulzaman said.

He, however, regretted that many of the businessmen only turned to TEKUN when they were in financial trouble.

"As they feel the 45-day period is too long, they end up going to Ah Long who can approve their loan within a day. In fact, as business people, early planning is necessary, rather than acting at the last moment," he said.

"There is another category of Ah Long described as 'soft Ah Long' who don't lend out money but make sure the borrowers are indebted to them," he revealed.

"For example, they supply items to retailers, farmers and fishermen and establish good rapport with them.

"The catch is that they offer the products at lower prices or allow credit to the buyers who can pay in instalments.

"As they are indebted, they are bound to return to the soft Ah Long. This is in contrast to Bumiputera suppliers who offer goods at higher prices as they procured them at high prices too.

"These are the problems plaguing Bumiputera businessmen. Poor business networking and lack of knowledge in marketing their products add to their woes," he lamented.

However, he felt that many of those who got into trouble with Ah Long were those who borrowed for reasons other than doing business. They used the money to paying off an existing loan, for example.

Only by doing business they can expect returns that can be used to pay off the debts and reinvest to improve their business.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP A CAREER

With eight new products launched last December, it is hoped that youths, women, rural folk and undergraduates will pursue entrepreneurship as a career of choice.

The products are TEKUN Niaga, TEKUN Tunas, TEKUN Tani, TEKUN Ternak, TEKUN Rakan Niaga, TEKUN Jangka Pendek, TEKUN Pelancongan and TEKUN 2nd Chance.

Through its workshops, YTN provides guidance for entrepreneurs before and after receiving the loans and this has helped create many new, successful Bumiputera businessmen.

"Those selected to attend the workshops are the ones with potential and are serious in conducting business. They are also shown the way to establishing business networking," said Syed Kamarulzaman.

On unemployed graduates, he said various efforts were being taken to lure them into entrepreneurship and TEKUN had a number of loan schemes for them.

If anyone needs capital to start a business, TEKUN is ready to help. In fact, the foundation also provides short-term loans to graduates who want to start a career as insurance agents.

TEKUN is doing all its best to help these undergraduates establish themselves.

So, it's up to the people, whether they want to look for Ah Long or TEKUN when they need help.

By Nurul Halawi Azhari

-- BERNAMA

TEKUN Financing Scheme

Objective

To provide microfinance facility for working capital requirements to assist the small entrepreneurs in their existing new start-up business and project implementation.

• Maximum tenure : 6 months to 5 years

• Minimum financing : RM500

• Maximum financing : RM50,000

Eligibility criteria

• Malaysian entrepreneurs aged between 18 to 60 years old

• Possess a valid business licence or permit or registration

• No unsatisfactory record with financial institutions and Government agencies

• Entrepreneurs directly involved in the business

• Existing business borrowing should be within the range of RM5,000 to RM20,000 subject to the type of TEKUN financing scheme

Type of assistance / Form of financing

• TEKUN Business (TEKUN Niaga)
• Additional working capital for fixed and mobile stall or business premise to undertake services, transportation and manufacturing activities

• TEKUN Business Venture (TEKUN Rakan Niaga)
• Funding for joint venture business package with TEKUN i.e. beauty products, frozen food, tuition centre and others as specified by TEKUN

• TEKUN Start up (TEKUN Tunas)
• Start-up capital for potential and new entrepreneur to operate fixed or mobile stall or business premise to undertake services, transportation and manufacturing activities

• TEKUN Animal Husbandry (TEKUN Ternak)
• Provide financing to start or expand business or project in animal husbandry such as cattle and goat rearing, breeding bird (Puyuh), fresh water fish and prawns

• TEKUN Agriculture (TEKUN Tani)
• Provide financing to start or expand business or project in agriculture such as planting banana, corn, sugar cane and vegetables or ornamental plant such as orkid, cactus and bonsai tree/plant

• TEKUN Short Term Financing package (TEKUN Jangka Pendek)
• Working capital financing ranging from RM500 to RM2,000 with weekly repayment period between 1 to 3 months to operate business stall for day or night market, Ramadhan Bazaar, Exposition and Sales Promotional activities

• TEKUN Tourism (TEKUN Pelancongan)
• Provide financing to start or expand business or project in tourism sector for activities such as Homestay program, chalet, recreational equipments, agro-tourism and others as specified by TEKUN

Application procedure

• Contact the nearest TEKUN’s office

• Attend briefing by YTN

• Application to be submitted to Yayasan Tekun Nasional

Contact
Yayasan TEKUN Nasional

No. 2, Wisma Matmunap
Jalan 4/146, Metro Centre
Bandar Tasik Selatan
57000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 03-9058 8550
Fax : 03-9059 5980

Other Information please log on to website : www.tekun.gov.my

" Time and tide waits for no man".

Studies show that everyone, on the average, are interrupted every minute or so. Their time is controlled by persistent, bothersome and energetic people. Robert Guest's study found out that an industrial foreman images between 237 and 1073 separate incidents with no real breaks. Interruptions, wasteful, affects almost everyone.

• Time is inelastic - demand has no influence on supply
• Time is irreplaceable. Once it has gone, it has gone forever
• 1/4 of the demands of our time, can be thrown away
• 600 hours each year spent on things that if we stopped doing, no one will notice

Remember - we are here for "results" not "to do"

Vilfredo Pareto - 80/20 rule. We often spend 80% of our time on work that contribute about 20% to our work objective

"The concept of vital few and trivial many"

Some Tool

• Daily - to do list
• Cut the rituals - Coffee breaks, etc
• Hours in the morning - most creative
• Successes in the first hour
• Arrive early
• THINK - can increase productivity by 30%, can reduce time taken to complete task by 1/3
• Start with the easiest
• Interruptions / Diversions - Where? Who? - meet in people / place - stand up " Be ruthless with the time but gracious with people"
• Apply conversation - ending techniques
  
• The telephone : 40% spend more than 2 hours on the phone everyday
• Plan calls in advance
• Delegate calls
• Watch out for interruptions.

TIME is .......

Free

Finite

Fair

Fixed

TIME

A measure of duration
It exists naturally
It exists in the mind / clock / watch / or just about anywhere...

Eversendai Corporation Sdn Bhd

Malaysian Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008
Master Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2008

"When he lost of 1st Petronas Twin Tower project, he talk at himself why missed it and he coming back for successful 2nd Petronas Twin Tower project."

Petronas Towers project, the tallest twin tower in the world. Eversendai was involved in the fabrication and erection of the steel structures for Tower 2. The Petronas Towers measure 452 meters high and has 88 floors comprising 8000 tons steel. The columns up to the 83rd floor are in concrete. From the 88th floor, the inclined columns are made up of steel. The steel frame work above the 84th floor provides the support for the 65-meter high pinnacle. The floor beams at all levels are in steel connected to the steel embedded plates in the core wall and concrete columns.

Eversendai Corporation Sdn Bhd, founded by Dato’ Nathan in 1984 is a reputable player in the fabrication, design and erection of steel structures, having been involved in the construction of such iconic landmarks as the Petronas Twin Towers, the Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai and the Burj Dubai – currently the world’s tallest building. In all, the company has completed over 100 projects in Malaysia, Singapore, the Middle East, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

Having to curtail his pre-university course due to financial difficulties, he started work as a printing machine operator and subsequently as an insurance agent. With no formal education in engineering, Dato’ Nathan has grown Eversendai to where it is today, with sheer hard work and perseverance. His first foray into the construction sector was accidental, when he was given the opportunity to work on the Dayabumi project where he learnt Japanese project management techniques on the job.

Dato’ Nathan has steered Eversendai into one of the largest steel contractors in the Middle East with fabrication plants in Dubai, Sharjah and Qatar. In 2005, Eversendai was awarded the “International Achievement Award” by the Construction Industry Board, Malaysia.