It is difficult for me to identify my MOST important skill that I can use in starting my business this year. Throughout the business 1 course, I have been developing a series of smaller skills all of  which are crucial to a successful business.  While all of these smaller skills are important, they serve as the mortar between the bricks.  There are two main skills that will really be the building bricks of my business.

The most important skill I possess, is my writing skills.  I currently have rather poor writing skills, but through the courses of the Ron Paul Curriculum, I have made significant progress.  The development of my writing skills since starting the Ron Paul Curriculum has been truly amazing, and I am very grateful for my instructors who have helped me with this.  Throughout the rest of my high school classes, I will continue to build these skills.

There are a lot of weak spots in my writing, I am constantly trying to fix those weak areas and become a more persuasive writer.  Writing is a crucial aspect of almost every business startup.  Therefore it would be wise for me to devote as much time as possible to improving my writing skills.  Many successful writers have said that the key is persistence.  If you look at the higher percentage of successful writers, you will see that they put in the work to get where they are.  They practiced, they wrote as much and as often as possible, it would be wise to follow in their footsteps.

Another skill that will be of substantial use when I start my business is the ability to see and understand situations from another person’s perspective.  This is a skill that I have been investing a lot of work in over the past 6 months.  I have made some improvements.  This skill is crucial to providing good customer service.  It will help in building business relationships, and especially help in negotiations.  In Dale Carnegie’s book “How to win friends and influence people,” my mind was opened to the potential of obtaining this skill.  When you can get insights from the other person’s point of view, you can then do your best to provide them with the highest return on their investment.

If people understand that you respect them and have sympathy for their situation, they will trust you on a deeper level and this will make them want to purchase from you over your competitor.  I have applied this to several areas of my life.  Instead of babbling about myself, I want to understand the other side of the situation on a deep level and support the other person’s judgment.

Skill and experience are the most valuable aspects of building a successful business.  At my age, and point of life, I lack in both skill and experience.  I have the time to invest to discover what works and what doesn’t.  The opportunity to obtain skill and experience are available to me, and I would be a fool to not take advantage of these while I am still free of major responsibility.