“I want to be my own boss”—this is the dream of many today. However, becoming an entrepreneur is not as simple as excelling at a specific skill. Before I learned about Multiple Intelligence as a career counselor, I often wondered: Why can’t a great cook successfully run a restaurant? Or why doesn’t every talented software engineer start their own tech company? The answer lies in understanding that technical expertise alone is not enough.
Through Multiple Intelligence theory, it becomes clear that a great cook can run a successful restaurant only if they possess other essential traits, such as people skills and a willingness to take risks. The same holds true for any profession.
The Three Roles In Any Industry
In any field, professionals can be broadly classified into three roles:
- The Technician: Skilled at their craft, such as a cook, teacher, doctor, or software engineer.
- The Manager: A person who knows how to organize, delegate, and ensure tasks are accomplished efficiently.
- The Visionary (The Boss): Someone capable of visualizing the future, setting long-term goals, and taking calculated risks to make their vision a reality.
Many technicians—whether cooks, engineers, or doctors—have become successful entrepreneurs by cultivating the necessary skills and mindset. However, to own and sustain a business, one needs more than technical expertise. The following intelligences are crucial to own a business:
1. Logical Intelligence
A business requires an ability to make sound decisions, analyze risks, and solve problems. Entrepreneurs often face challenges where poor decisions can lead to irrecoverable consequences. Success requires learning from past mistakes and making data-driven choices.
I have personally seen former business owners return to employment after failing in their business. Logical intelligence acts as the backbone of any entrepreneurial venture.
2. Interpersonal Intelligence
Managing people effectively is an underrated skill that schools rarely teach. Building a business involves collaborating with employees, clients, and stakeholders. Strong interpersonal intelligence ensures that tasks are delegated appropriately, teams remain motivated, and conflicts are resolved constructively.
3. Intrapersonal Intelligence
Knowing yourself—your strengths, weaknesses, and motivations—is essential before diving into entrepreneurship. Too often, individuals pursue ventures to meet societal expectations rather than their true aspirations.
Even if you succeed by societal standards, it’s not genuine success unless you enjoy and find meaning in what you do. Entrepreneurs with strong intrapersonal intelligence align their passions with their business goals, ensuring growth and personal fulfillment.
4. Creative Intelligence
The most successful leaders are visionaries who think beyond the present. They anticipate future trends and prepare accordingly. For example, some businesses plan their strategies decades in advance to maintain relevance.
Creative intelligence involves imagining what doesn’t exist yet and finding ways to make it a reality. For instance, conceptualizing a flying car to meet future demands is a form of futuristic thinking. However, creative ideas must be backed by by data, research, and studies.
No matter where you are in your career, you can become your own boss if you cultivate the right combination of logical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and creative intelligences. Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination—it demands continuous learning, adaptability, and self-awareness.
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