Entrepreneurship isn’t a joke. It is not just all about changing your Instagram bio or having a business card; it is way beyond that.

As an entrepreneur, there is a need for you to exhibit certain characteristics to foster business success. You need to also be knowledgeable in different areas of your business. For instance, you need to understand accounting, marketing, customer service, social media, etc.!

The entrepreneurship journey is one filled with lots of lessons and evolvement and it takes someone willing to learn and grow to adapt. With that in mind, here are 10 skills every entrepreneur can’t do without:

1. Leadership Skills: If you can’t lead or manage your team, how do you expect to achieve good results? Every entrepreneur needs to understand how to be an effective leader for the benefit of the business.
2. Communication Skills: Communication is an essential part of any organization. If you don’t know what to say and when to say it, chances are that you are not on the same page with your staff or customers.
3. Negotiation Skills: we have all experienced that moment when we think we can settle for a better deal, rather than the one somebody on the other side of the table is forcing down to us. Every entrepreneur needs to understand how to negotiate and charge what they ought to charge.
4. Branding Skills: you need to learn how to brand your business online and offline. Branding is an important part of a business that no organization can joke with because it if the branding isn’t gotten right, the target audience won’t be communicated with the right way.
5. Marketing Skills: whether you are informing your friend or your neighbour about your new product line, you are marketing indirectly. Most times, entrepreneurs get involved in marketing directly or indirectly.
6. Sales: if you can’t sell your product or service, how do you expect others to sell same?
7. Customer Service: Customer service is not to be left with he customer service department. Customer service cut across all the departments in an organization. When you come in contact with your customers either online or offline, they need to have a good customer experience.
8. Finance Skills: you need to know your numbers, know your tax obligations, etc.
9. Strategy: how effective are you able to plan for your business in the long term?
10. Social Media: as an entrepreneur today, there is no way your business won’t be online.

What are some other skills entrepreneurs need to learn? Drop them in the comments section below.