Imagine coming up for air after swimming through crystal clear and warm water. The moment you open your eyes above water, you realize that you are in one of the most beautiful natural settings you’ve ever seen. It’s a splendid cavern with natural moss draping the walls, and a hole of light piercing through the cavern, giving a brilliant aura to the blue water below. You can’t believe how lucky you are to be exploring a cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula, and it all feels so surreal.

Fast forward two weeks, and you are back in your crammed cubicle. You’re cold calling clients on the phone to sell services that even you know are worthless and thinking back to all those times you thought of starting a side business so you could have more adventures like this.

As you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror during your lunch break, you chuckle a bit as you notice that you still have a great tan from your adventure in Mexico.

Oh how you wish that you could go back! To swim, dive, and sip superb margaritas that taste like a nectar from the Gods!

But what if you never had to leave that place? What if you could stay as long as you want, and finally pack your bags up after you have swam through every cenote, and tanned on every beach?

You already know that isn’t too ridiculous of a thought. Just open up Instagram and see what is trending. Trips to unique and exotic locations such as Kiribati, Thailand, and Finland seem to pop up as frequently as Donald Trump in the news.

People are living their lives on the road more than ever, and seeing the world with their own eyes –instead of from a magazine or computer screen.

But how is it possible that so many people are traveling the world, and seeing sights that earlier generations could only dream of?

Sure it helps that the world is better connected than it has ever been before by all of the advancements in transportation. And the fact that the majority of countries are safer than they have been in the past. Not to mention flights are cheaper, and visas are easier to obtain! But does any of that ultimately explain how so many people manage to make a lifestyle of travel? No. So what could it be?

The answer is simple. Digital entrepreneurship and social commerce. Starting an online business and a viral social commerce network, rolling with the punches, and making money from their keystrokes and networking. After a bit of hard work and determination, plenty of people have finally earned location independence, and the ability travel at will.

Still not sure what digital entrepreneurship or social commerce is? No sweat, let’s give a brief example.

Jeff Bezos is an incredible model of a digital entrepreneur who launched a business that everyone (minus eBay) can agree is amazing.

After close to a decade working for firms on Wall Street, Bezos decided to call it quits with his generously paying job. At the time of his resignation, he was the youngest person to be a Vice President with the investment firm D.E. Shaw.

The promising future wasn’t enough for Bezos though; he wanted to try his luck with the newly developed digital marketplace. So he relocated to Seattle, and opened an online marketplace for books, known as Amazon.

That’s right, the Amazon ‘everything from A to Z’, e-commerce giant, was once a modest digital book store. Pretty cool right?

These days, Bezos can choose to travel all over the world while his baby makes billions. Lucky dude.

Want to do the same thing? Well, perhaps it is time to start thinking about how to become entrepreneurial, and eventually opening an online business or starting a network…or both. Here are 7 of the most important entrepreneurial traits and skills needed for those looking to launch an online or social commerce business.

Risk Taking

They say fortune favors the bold, so why not take chances? When it comes to traveling and business, those who take the biggest risks typically gain the greatest rewards (bungee jumping anyone?).

However, with regard to entrepreneurship, it’s important to acknowledge that the outcome of risk taking could either be something beautiful or something tragic.

Often times taking those risks pays off; the results are positive, and everyone goes home happy. But occasionally the risk yields negative results. And at times like that it is important to take it on the chin and learn from the mistakes. Failure isn’t the end of the world; it’s just a learning lesson which better prepares you for the next obstacle.

For those who want to become digital entrepreneurs, risk taking is the first step towards wild success. Sure there are fees associated with running a website, shipping products, and promoting services, but ultimately those fees are an investment in the future success of a business.

Plus the best news – the barriers to entry have never been so low. Easy access to capital, networks, and a wealth of information has opened doors for younger generations that were nearly impossible for those prior. Makes taking risks a lot less scary, doesn’t it?

Passion

Remember your first love, when you had so much passion and drive, and were willing to do anything for that person? That same intense feeling in the chest has driven many individuals to become madly successful business people.

For travelers, it’s that burning feeling which wakes you up at 6AM for the dune buggy adventure, and keeps you out on the town til 3AM. It’s a mix of joy, personal drive, and intense interest.

And building a business of any type requires that same type of energy and determination. Rome wasn’t built overnight, and your online business won’t be either. But recognizing the importance of keeping personal drive and passion red hot like a relationship is a great way to ensure something will get done, whether it turns out wonderful or not.

Thick Skin

Mom or dad have likely told you ‘no’ a million times in your life, so that word shouldn’t be new to you. And what did you do each time you heard that word? Cower away and give up on your desires? Nah, you probably found a way around their rejection, and made something happen after plenty of persistence.

But when that rejection comes from someone you don’t know, can you keep persisting?

The ability to push past the millions of rejections will benefit one more than imaginable. Professional athletes, actors, and CEOs have all heard the word ‘no’ more than imaginable, but look where they are today!

It’s a numbers game after all.

Just ask any door to door salesman. Those kids get told no a hundred times before they finally hear the word yes. And after that, another hundred no’s.

So whether you are building an SEO firm, translation service, social commerce, or bikini line, it’s crucial to keep pushing through while networking, until you finally get that one ‘yes’ which changes everything.

Adaptability

Just like animals living in extreme climates, entrepreneurs need to have the ability to adapt to their surroundings.

Whether it is a flaw in a product, process, or service – the ability to recognize the need for change, and pivot in a different direction is essential.

Sure it is tough admitting that a product or service needs to go in a whole new direction, but sometimes it’s exactly what is needed to kick things off.

Selling

Life is all about selling. Whether it is applying for grad school, flirting with new people, or convincing friends to invest in your business – you are selling.

So if we spend so much time selling, why not hone those skills?

Especially for those who want to start an online business. With mass amounts of competitors coming online every day, it’s never been more crucial to be able to sell!

So before you start your online business, you need to analyze the three main groups you have to sell your ideas to. You. Your employees. Your customers. That’s it! Once you convince each group of your idea, then the world is your oyster.

Self-Discipline

The most difficult aspect to becoming an entrepreneur is self-discipline!

Sure that sounds like a cheesy line that your high school gym coach would say, but when everyone else is partying the weekend away, you will occasionally have to stay in and make sacrifices in the pursuit of your business.

If that means saying no to dollar taco Thursday so that you can work a bit more, then so be it!

The best way to increase self-discipline is by starting a daily routine. Start by working on the business just an hour every day. After a month, make it two! The best entrepreneurs are relentless in the pursuit to be more productive with their time and improve their daily routines.

Marketing

And finally, the most important trait needed to become an online and social entrepreneur – marketing!

How are you going to make sure your voice is heard in a sea of competition? If no one can find information about your products or services, then how do you expect anyone to buy them?

Thanks to the internet, you can now amplify your voice to an unfathomably large audience!

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have all made it a lot more simple (and cheaper) to build a business. When executed properly, these platforms can be the greatest tool an entrepreneur has at their disposal.

By learning how to utilize SEO, Google AdWords, and keyword research, you can be noticed – and quickly. But be careful, not everyone is in your target market. That’s why it is important to define the segment you want to sell to, and aim all efforts towards them.

So if skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef, hiking through the jungles of the Amazon, or gazing at the pyramids of Giza…or simply taking more vacations to Disney World or the beach with your family is how you would like to spend your work days – then maybe it’s time to start thinking about becoming an entrepreneur and building your own online, socially driven business like I have.

When “all you know” is being an employee it’s easy to get caught up in mental games because that little voice in your head will start spouting off thoughts like, “What if I fail?”, “I don’t have enough money?”, “I need the benefits”, “I don’t have the time” and a ton of other ridiculous notions.  Don’t believe any of it.

As one of my mentors once said:

“You are born to win, but programmed to lose!”

And it’s so very true.

I’ve been very fortunate to have some VERY wise mentors on my entrepreneurial journey that started (as an adult at least) when I was just 20 years sold.  Now into my third decade as a location independent entrepreneur I’ve learned to ALWAYS keep my eyes open and NEVER say no to any opportunity until I’ve asked enough questions.

That’s not to say I jump on every opportunity I’m presented with…there’s no time for that if you want to see success as an entrepreneur.

You have to be aware and understand how business really works, and always be open.

Then when you find that right opportunity that gets your juices flowing, makes sense, and aligns you with great systems and people – jump on it and commit yourself to seeing it through.  When you’re starting your own business, success won’t happen overnight, but it can happen quickly.

As I’m known for saying, “Being at the right place at the right time means absolutely nothing if you don’t take action!”.

TW Walker

I'm a location independent entrepreneur (2 decades strong). I've written a book endorsed by the Napoleon Hill foundation (Think And Grow Rich) and I teach entrepreneurship and how to create leveraged income for freedom. I LOVE travel, new experiences, nice dogs, great wine, and laughing at haters.