5 Tips For College Dropouts To Transition Into Successful Entrepreneurs

In this post, I share 5 tips for college dropouts to transition into successful entrepreneurs. Many people realize that they are lacking some essential skills that they may have acquired from going to college when they dropout, but those things aren’t hard to find in the real world.

I am a college dropout and I’m proud to admit it. While my path to dropping out of college may be different to someone else’s, one thing remains the same. I didn’t get a ‘formal’ education from a university just like anyone else who may have dropped out of college.

I dropped out of college when I realized that the education I was receiving wasn’t value enough. I felt like I could learn a lot more on my own and the entrepreneurial path that I was pursuing in life didn’t require any type of formal education.

There are a lots of benefits that you can get from college though. As a college drop out, I quickly began to realize some of the things I was lacking or missing out on because I had stepped away from my University. However, I made changes in my life and was able to accumulate those skills & many more.

In this post, I share 5 tips for college dropouts to transition into successful entrepreneurs:

1. Constantly Learn & Educate Yourself 

The most underrated thing any college dropout can do is to continue learning. It doesn’t matter how you educate yourself, it just matters that you do. Spend every single day of your life learning something new and challenging your mind to tap into different areas. If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you don’t have to be the smartest or the wealthiest. You just have to be the most willing to adapt to the markets and the worlds around you.

What do I mean by that? Well, new trends hit the market every single day. The smartest & wealthiest aren’t the only ones capitalizing on these markets. It’s the people who are constantly learning, reading and keeping an open mind that are capitalizing on these markets as well. No matter what domain you pursue, constantly educating yourself will be crucial to your overall success.

2. Experience Is The Best Teacher 

There are entrepreneurs and there are wantrepreneurs. The only difference between the two groups of people is massive action. Entrepreneurs pursue their wildest ideas and dreams while wantrepreneurs tend to only talk about their ideas. If you dropped out of college or don’t have a formal education but are looking to learn, there is no faster way to learn than by experiencing it yourself.

Take the first idea that comes to mind and put it into action. Sure you might fail, but who cares? The knowledge and the connections you will make through the process of launching your first idea will guide you for the rest of your life. Stop thinking & start doing!

3. Talk To As Many People As You Can 

The biggest thing I missed about college was the fact that I had thousands of students around me all the time. I could make new connections, new friendships and even new relationships so easily. However, when I dropped out and ventured out on my own….I was pretty lonely. I knew I had to think outside the box to network and meet new people.

What is so valuable about talking to as many people as you can? Well, you can find future partners, clients, friends, investors and so much more by talking and networking with others. Sometimes it just takes one connection to put your career or business over the top. I opened up so many doors by attending networking events, joining various Facebook groups, tapping into my own friend circles and making the effort to talk to others everywhere I was.

4. Sell What You Have, Not What You Lack 

Whether you’re pitching to an investor or to a friend to join your new startup, always sell what you have. Don’t focus on the fact that you may not have a fancy degree or a ton of experience. For one, it doesn’t show self-confidence in yourself and don’t jump to those topics unless someone asks you directly. If someone asks you those types of questions to your face, then you should absolutely answer honestly.

However, from the times that I’ve pitched to multi-million dollar clients or venture capitalists, what I didn’t have didn’t matter. Why? Because I sold what I did have so well that people believed it. Sit down and understand why you are the best person for whatever it is you’re vying for and craft your pitch around that.

5. Never Give Up 

If you make the decision 100% mentally that you are going to pursue entrepreneurship, you cannot give up. With business and entrepreneurship especially, you JUST have to be right ONCE. You can be wrong 500 times, but you being right one time can make you a billionaire. Think about how crazy that is…..

People don’t remember you for your wrongs or failures unless you allow it to define you. If you give up or quit, then you’ll be remembered by the last thing you did as an entrepreneur. However, if you keep bouncing back and using your knowledge from your previous failures to come back even stronger, you’re bringing yourself closer and closer to succeeding. As an entrepreneur, never give up.

Conclusion 

In this post, I shared 5 tips for college dropouts to transition into successful entrepreneurs. What are some tips you might have for others?