I've received the following question by email, and wanted to answer it here (I only answer questions on flyingstartups.com or here on the blog, rather than replying by email, so that more than just the one person can access the answers)...

Question...

"You have said in your book that you believe entrepreneurship can be learnt (i agree with this). why then are so many people in the world of business and entrepreneurship so adamant that entrepreneurs are born and not made?"
Question from Haroon Khan

And here's my answer....

I strongly believe that anything can be learned by anyone - as long as they have enough determination to learn it.

This last bit is the key. I'm sure I could learn to play the piano, but I just don't have enough reasons or passion to drive me to do it.

That's why a lot of people mistakenly say that not everyone can learn to be an entrepreneur, and that you have to be born entrepreneurial.

But that's crazy - how many six month old babies do you know with their own business? I'm guessing it's about the same number that are acclaimed concert pianists. This could perhaps indicate that these skills are not innate!

Does it perhaps seem more logical then that the 'natural entrepreneurs' that believers in entrepreneurs-are-born-not-made single out weren't born like that at all, but that they simply built up enough reasons, or enough passion in their formative years in order to want to learn to be entrepreneurs?

The entrepreneurs I've met and interviewed all had completely different reasons for having become entrepreneurs, and got the entrepreneurial instinct at a range of different times. Not many were the selling-sweets-in-the-playground stereotype of the born entrepreneur.

Some of the reasons given for the drive to learn include: wanting to get out of poverty; wanting to get out of corporate life; wanting to make an idea happen; wanting a sense of freedom; and even just having fun. Whatever the reason it was strong enough to make them keep learning even when the going got tough - determined to master entrepreneurship.

The other mistake that people who say that entrepreneurship can't be learned make is to believe that learning has to be a formal process. The very best way to learn to become an entrepreneur is to have a go at being an entrepreneur! Some, even most, may stumble in their early attempts (at any age) - but gradually they pick up the necessary skills. Just because they don't go to a classroom this doesn't mean they're not learning.

And of course they supplement this learning-by-doing by having mentors, or reading books (like mine!!). Entrepreneurs by their very nature generally like to be self-taught, pulling in extra resources as they see fit. They don't like classrooms, or to have to learn at somebody else's pace.

So yes, I firmly believe that anyone can learn to be an entrepreneur - if they have enough determination to do so. The proof is there to see at http://www.flyingstartups.com where you can see hundreds of people learning how to start and build a business one step at a time.