Why do I need an entrepreneurial mindset?

The entrepreneurial mindset is the reason why entrepreneurs are successful. The important thing is that you don't have to be running your own business to gain the benefits of the entrepreneurial mindset. In truth, the mindset offers significant and valuable benefits to employees in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. It creates real value for individuals, organisations and societies. In a world that is increasingly complex and uncertain, if you want to have more control over your life and career, the entrepreneurial mindset is definitely a 'must have'.

How is the entrepreneurial mindset relevant to me?

Entrepreneurs enjoy success in life because of their behaviours i.e. the way they think and act. You can quickly learn to adopt these same behaviours and use them to help you to achieve your career and life goals. Your first thought might be that this entrepreneurial way of thinking is not relevant to you. However, the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network has created a common sense and practical definition that will fully convince you that the entrepreneurial mindset is not only highly relevant to you but can also bring you immediate and worthwhile benefits.

Is the mindset just a different way of thinking?

Our definition of the mindset was developed by examining research studies that explain what makes entrepreneurs successful e.g. their personalities, skills and behaviours.  In addition, we considered positive and also the negative perceptions of entrepreneurship i.e. the importance of ethical behaviour. The  definition we have created is both realistic and practical; the mindset has to be more than simple self-belief or wishful thinking. At the core of the definition, therefore, is the idea of you taking responsibility for the actions that can make your dreams come true.

How can I understand what the mindset is?

You can quickly understand the entrepreneurial mindset using our definition. It is easy to understand and quick to use.  What makes our definition distinctive is that it is based on seven essential entrepreneurial behaviours. As an aid to memory, 1 entrepreneurial behaviour is allocated to each of the 7 letters in the word MINDSET.

Who runs the Network?

Paul Coyle is the Founder and Director of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network. He is an expert in the entrepreneurial mindset, higher education leadership and organisational transformation. Currently Paul is connected on LinkedIn to more than 12,000 professionals all over the world. The European Commission, the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions & Cities, and EIT Health have all made use of his expert advice.  To be notified of Paul’s regular posts about the entrepreneurial mindset, visit Paul's LinkedIn profile and press the Connect button.

What does the Network offer?

The Network’s vision is that everybody can benefit from having an entrepreneurial mindset. It's mission  is to inspire you to make your unique contribution to the world through your use of the entrepreneurial mindset. We do this by providing a range of inspiring resources to help you to understand and apply the mindset. In addition, we provide specialist services to support student education, the personal development of higher education professionals, and the showcasing of entrepreneurial higher education organisations. The Network is a supporter of the annual European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

EXPRESS is the eZINE published three times a year by the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network. Since 2018, the eZINE has showcased authors from 53 countries who have expressed their views about the entrepreneurial mindset and shared numerous inspiring examples. All 21 issues of the eZINE are available on the website Entrepreneurial Mindset Express.

The latest edition of the eZINE is Volume 8 Number 1. You can see the articles scrolling on the right. Click on any image to read the article on screen, or to download or print a PDF.

You can use the many ideas in these articles to find inspiration, reflect on your own practice and consider what  actions you can take to develop your own entrepreneurial mindset.

What is a Mindset Behaviour Analysis tool?

A Mindset Behaviour Assessment (MBA) tool is a free online tool that is designed to introduce the concept of the entrepreneurial mindset, and to support the choice  of actions that will help a user to increase how often they use entrepreneurial behaviours.

People from 30 countries in Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America have used one of the MBA tools. Student satisfaction with the MBA tool is 98%.

What Mindset Behaviour Analysis tools are available? 

The range of Mindset Behaviour Analysis tools continues to grow. At the moment a suite of MBA tools are available for use in higher education:

MBA for students

MBA for educators

MBA for education leaders

and

MBA for PhD students

MBA for PhD supervisors

MBA for professional services

How can an MBA tool be used in the classroom?

An educator can use the MBA for students by inviting individual students to use the tool and then facilitating group discussions of the results. The MBA tool can help students to plan & deliver project work, research, assignments, pitches  and presentations. 

Download a factsheet for educators which explains how to use the MBA tool with students.

Reviews

Get your hands on this inspiring step-by-step guide today! It will equip you with the tools you need to achieve success in a rapidly changing world. Enikő Koppány, Hungary, 2023.

A well-written, hands-on book. The reflective questions at the end of each chapter are an excellent guide to help people change their way of thinking. Bob Bastian, Italy, 2022.

This clear, engaging book has made me look at my work with fresh eyes, giving me a new sense of purpose. Highly recommended. Carolyn Howitt, United Kingdom, 2020. 

A very helpful book that inspires the reader, stimulates his thought and excites his curiosity. Roberto Brambilla, Italy, 2020.

How to read the book

You can read the 3 introductory chapters of the book on screen for free on Google Play.

You can purchase the complete book for the equivalent of 7.99€ on Google Play.  This gives you access to 7 additional detailed chapters, 1 for each of the 7 entrepreneurial behaviours, and 140 self-reflection questions. You can read the full book in your web browser, and online or offline using the Google Play Books app for Android, iPhone and iPad. 

You can purchase a print copy for the equivalent of  12.99€ plus shipping costs.

All purchases are charged in the currency of your credit card.

How is the mindset used to enhance teaching?

Students of any academic discipline can benefit from developing an entrepreneurial mindset. The study of entrepreneurial ways of thinking and acting should not be confined to the business school. The entrepreneurial mindset has value in the study of the arts, law, economics, psychology, sociology, computing, engineering, media, medicine and health.

The mindset empowers students to pursue their career aspirations not just as entrepreneurs but as employees in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Employers want graduates with the right mindset and skills such as innovation, self-efficacy and leadership. The mindset emboldens students to want to make their unique contribution to the world.

How is the mindset used to enhance research?

Research students play a vital role in the creation of new knowledge and there is increasing emphasis in understanding and demonstrating the economic and social impact of this knowledge. The  mindset is a key topic in the investigation of business and entrepreneurship. It is also of value in many other applied research disciplines.

The entrepreneurial mindset helps researchers to reflect on the applied nature of their research, to improve their innovation skills, to act ethically whilst also daring to take risks, to improve their productivity and to manage their career ambitions, especially given the challenges of securing permanent academic jobs.

How can the mindset enhance leadership?

If students are going to develop an entrepreneurial mindset then educators themselves must have this same mindset. Also, their academic leaders must be able to inspire educators to use the entrepreneurial mindset in their teaching, research, commercialisation, knowledge exchange, and creation of economic, social and cultural value.

The mindset is of value to academics and also the professional services, including learning resources, careers, research and knowledge exchange. All  leaders in higher education can use the mindset to build an organisational culture that is fit-for-purpose, deliver excellent performance and secure long-term financial sustainability.