Do the questionnaire, then comment the results you have got.

How do you rate as an entrepreneur?

For each of the following questions, tick the answer which comes closest to what

you feel about yourself.

1 Are you a self-starter? a I only make an effort when I want to. b If someone explains what to do, then I can continue from there. c I make my own decisions. I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do. 2 How do you get on with other people? a I get on with almost everybody. b I have my own friends and don’t really need anyone else. c I don’t really feel at home with other people. 3 Can you lead and motivate others? a Once something is motivating I join in. b I’m good at giving orders when I know what to do. c I can persuade most people to follow me when I start something. 4 Can you take responsibility? a I like to take charge and to obtain results. b I’ll take charge if I have to but I prefer someone else to be responsible. c Someone always wants to be the leader and I’m happy to let them do the job. 5 Are you a good organizer? a I tend to get confused when unexpected problems arise. b I like to plan exactly what I’m going to do. c I just like to let things happen. 6 How good a worker are you? a I’m willing to work hard for something I really want. b I find my home environment more stimulating than work. c Regular work suits me but I don’t like it to interfere with my private life. 7 Can you make decisions? a I’m quite happy to execute other people’s decisions. b I often make very quick decisions which usually work but sometimes don’t. c before making a decision, I need time to think it over. 8 Do you enjoy taking risk? a I always evaluate the exact dangers of any situation. b I like the excitement of taking big risk. c For me safety is the most important thing.

9 Can you stay the course? a The biggest challenge for me is getting a project started. b If I decided to do something, nothing will stop me. c If something doesn’t go right first time, I tend to lose interest. 10 Are you motivated by money? a For me, job satisfaction cannot be measured in money terms. b Although money is important to me, I value other things just as much. c Making money is my main motivation. 11 How do you react to criticism? a I dislike any form of criticism. b If people criticize me I always listen and may or may not reject what they have to say. c When people criticize me there is usually some truth in what they say. 12 Can people believe what you say? a I try to be honest but it is sometimes difficultor too complicated to explain things to other people. b I don’t say thing I don’t mean. c When I think I’m right, I don’t care what anyone else think. 13 Do you delegate? a I prefer to delegate what I consider to be the least important tasks. b When I have a job to do I like to do everything myself. c Delegating is important part of any job. 14 Can you cope with stress? a Stress is something I can live with. b Stress can be a stimulating element in a business. c I try to avoid situations which lead to stress. 15 How do you view your chances of success? a I believe that my success will depend to a large degree on factors outside my control. b I know that everything depends on me and my abilities. c it is difficult to foresee what will happen in the future. 16 If the business was not making a profit after five years, what would you do? a give up easily. b give up reluctantly. c carry on.

Use the key to calculate your score and see how you rate as an entrepreneur.

And above

You definitely have the necessary qualities to become the director of a successful business. You have a strong sense of leadership, you can both organise and motivate and you know exactly where you and your team are going.

Between 44 and 22

You may need to think more carefully before setting your own business. Although you do have some of the essential skills for running a business, you will probably not be able to deal with the pressure and strain that are a part of the job. You should perhaps consider taking some professional training or finding an associate who can compensate for some of your weaknesses.

Below 22

Managing you own business is not for you. You are better suited to an environment where you are not responsible for making decisions and taking risks. To operate successfully you need to follow well defined instructions and you prefer work that is both regular and predictable.

Have you ever heard about any unusual business? What field of activity does it operate in? Find information about such businesses and present to the class.

The worm man.

Picture the scene. You go to your bank manager and ask him for money to develop a great business idea – a worn farm. Not surprisingly, the bank manager finds it difficult to keep a straight face. But this isn’t an imaginary tale. It’s the true story of a business success…

Let’s begin at the beginning. Four years ago, Simon Taylor acquired some land on his family’s farm. The river Trent was very near, so at first he thought about fish farming. He rejected the idea. ‘The initial investment required was very high, and I’m not the world’s biggest risk-taker.’

So, he preferred a worm farm. The start-up costs were low, and Simon began by growing worms and packing them for fishermen into pots ranging in size from 25g to several kilos.

Traditionally, worms eat organic waste in soil, but Simon feeds them salad waste from supermarkets and restaurants. Demand for the worms has grown, so he is looking at the possibilities of using different types of worm food, including toxic waste from the paper industry. When the worms digest the waste, it breaks down into less harmful elements which can be recycled, rather than buried in expensive waste dumps.

‘Worms can do things that greatly benefit our environment,’ says Simon. This year the entrepreneur has produced over ten tons of worms, but expects to double production to some twenty tons next year. ‘UK fishermen use some 250 tons of worms every year, so there is a healthy demand for a variety of worms already. But we’re also looking at using worms in other areas.

1. Number the parts of Simon’s story in the correct order.

Four years ago, Simon ….