Mastering the Art of Success
al ong what you know to the next generation. I think it’s one of life’s
highest honors to touch someone’s life and become a role model.
WRIGHT
In my experience, people really are impressed by entrepreneurs.
You have been a successful entrepreneur, what do you think are the key
skills in achieving success as an entrepreneur?
ABREU
To be successful as an entrepreneur, I think we need to recognize
what skill sets and traits that we already possess, l earn to acquire
additional expertise, and call upon resources from our network of
colleagues, acquaintances, family, and friends, while we look f or ways
to help them as well. There are many other factor s, but let’s take a look
at three key skills that I think are important.
The first key skill as an entrepreneur is to get comfortable with
public speaking. Whenever we can, take advantage of the opportunity
to speak in front of audiences, get up in front of a group, or speak
about something off the top of your head in a small gathering. The
more we practice and learn how to speak in public, the more
comfortable and confident we’ll become.
I was given the opportunity at a young age, in elementary school, to
develop p ublic speaking skills. I was extremely shy as a child; I think a
teacher or administrator within the school noticed this and invited me to
do a public address announcement for the entire school. I was afraid and
very nervous but I did it anyway because the teacher encouraged me. I
went to the main office and they showed me how to operate the
microphone. I led the entire school in the Pledge of Allegiance. I did
th at every day and grew to love it. I loved it because people didn’t have
to see me, but they could hear my voice and I could just r ead from the
card.
Because of this experience, when I entered junior high school and
high school, I asked if I could do the morning school a nnouncements
and continued to do so. That led to my interest in college to become a
disk jockey for my college radio station, WRSU-FM in New
Brunswick, New Jersey, and later as a mobile disk jockey playing
music at parties and clubs.