Are You a Terra Verde Entrepreneur?

Terra Verde Entrepreneurs are different than most. There's something in their blood that sets them apart from everyone else.

Is it their drive to succeed? Their motivation and creativity? Their willingness to risk failure for the possibility of success?

And at the end of the day, why?

Whatever it is, I've outlined a few defining traits below. (Notice that they don't all have to do with business. Work/life balance is essential to being a successful entrepreneur!) I would venture to say that a Terra Verde Entrepreneur, whether they call it that or not, embodies these characteristics and remains true to themselves:

1) Create opportunities for themselves and others
2) Love the people around them
3) Have great vision and passion
4) Help those less fortunate
5) Thank others for giving them opportunities
6) Practice their faith
7) Recognize talent in the next generation
8) Celebrate for no reason at all
9) Support small business
10) Read to a child
11) Relax every day
12) Celebrate the arts and creativity
13) Maintain their own personal wellness
14) Take care of the environment
15) Reach for their dreams
16) Celebrate life

I believe that these values are important for Entrepreneurs to have. Not only do these values steer us away from the Ebeneezer Scrooge-esque kind of existence, but they also resonate with the reasons we became entrepreneurs in the first place.

When I ask people what they do for a living, whether they like their jobs, and why they decided to go out on their own, their answers are almost always the same. We want more time with our families and our kids. We want to have the time to play sports or take an art class. We want to have the resources to look out for those less fortunate.

Is it possible to become a successful entrepreneur without losing your soul to the black hole that is money? I encourage all entrepreneurs to stay true to ourselves, to take care of the values that put us in these positions in the first place, and to use our resources for good.

So, are you a Terra Verde Entrepreneur?