These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.

1. The Ability to Problem-Solve

The one trait I would say is the most important to entrepreneurs is the ability to creatively problem-solve. Sometimes, solutions to business problems aren’t obvious and you have to find an out-of-the-box solution. That can be a real challenge because most people are taught to color within the lines.

– Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure

2. Grit

You need courage, resolve and strength of character to withstand the ebbs, flows and failures that lead to successful business. The best way to get this is through experience. I’ve seen a lot of young entrepreneurs with more grit than their older counterparts, especially when they had customer service jobs and worked their way up the ladder to experience different seats in the company.

– Givelle Lamano, Oakland DUI Attorneys

3. Flexibility

One of the most essential traits an entrepreneur can possess is flexibility. You need to be able to change your approach in response to market conditions, customer feedback and what any partners or investors want at any given time. Being flexible also means looking at “failure” as a signal to make changes rather than as a permanent obstacle.

– Kalin Kassabov, ProTexting

4. Fearlessness

Aspiring entrepreneurs should be fearless. It’s fear that often prevents you from grabbing new opportunities, as new entrepreneurs are unable to decide what’s best for them or how a particular decision would affect them. Well, you won’t know unless you try. So, be quick with your decisions. Preparedness is great and all, but if you’re afraid to make a move, someone else will — and will likely succeed. 

– Chris Klosowski, Easy Digital Downloads

5. Sociability

To be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to focus on developing your social skills. When you have strong social skills, it becomes easier for you to build strong relationships with your customers, investors or anyone you think is important to your business. Good social skills make you a better communicator and help you make others feel secure so they connect with you on a deeper level.

– Andrew Munro, AffiliateWP

6. Determination

One trait you need to succeed as an entrepreneur is determination. You’ll encounter people who don’t like your idea. There will be times when clients or investors reject you. Your first project idea may never see the light of day. You need to have the drive to move past these unfortunate situations if you want to find success.

– Daman Jeet Singh, FunnelKit

7. Decisiveness

Decisiveness is the main trait any successful entrepreneur needs to cultivate. From making decisions about the budget or day-to-day communication, maintaining the ability to decide and decide quickly remains imperative. I use mental models like Occam’s razor to run my life. For example, when presented with two options, I choose the simplest and I get a lot of significant work done.

– Libby Rothschild, Dietitian Boss

8. A Realistic Mindset

Be realistic! An entrepreneur’s career is full of ups and downs, which are part of the learning process — and that’s a fact. Keeping your feet on the ground will save you much frustration when things don’t go the way you want. Instead, learn your lessons and keep moving. This will also help you to consider and prepare for multiple scenarios while adjusting along the way.

– Riccardo Conte, Virtus Flow

9. Moxie

In order to be an entrepreneur, you must have some moxie. Being outspoken, direct, resilient and having the ability to persevere is something that most entrepreneurs have in common. You have moxie if you can get up after failing. Aspiring entrepreneurs can cultivate it by focusing on confidence. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let others’ opinions or perceptions get in your way.

– Jennifer A Barnes, Optima Office, Inc.

10. The Ability to Follow Long-Term Plans

The ability to follow and execute on a long-term plan — meaning multiple years — without being sidetracked by mirages along the way or discouraged by inevitable ups and downs is so important. This requires you to learn multiple skills, including attention to detail, deep work and strategic vision (as opposed to tunnel vision, which trips up many entrepreneurs). 

– Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

11. A Willingness to Keep Learning

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you should have an open mind toward learning. It’s important for you to realize that learning is an ongoing process. It can help you develop new skills that in turn can help you stay ahead of your competitors at all times.

– Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

12. A Self-Reflective Mind

One trait that can help aspiring entrepreneurs succeed is self-reflection. Embracing your mistakes and learning from them is the only way an entrepreneur can grow and be better than ever before. However, one can’t cultivate this skill by enrolling in a particular program. You have to have an open mind, give yourself the freedom to make mistakes and foster the courage to learn from them.

– Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

13. Resilience

Resilience is one of the most important traits you can develop as an entrepreneur. The journey is going to have high highs and low lows, and it will be your ability to push through and persevere during this time that will be the difference between success and failure. To develop resilience, develop a positive mindset, build a strong support system, understand your purpose and look after yourself.

– Zane Stevens, Protea Financial

14. The Ability to Thrive on Ambiguity

The cornerstone of entrepreneurial success is in the ability to accept and thrive on ambiguity. I have found that navigating the unpredictable landscape of business ventures requires you to possess a flexible mindset that can accommodate constant change and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Always stay updated with the latest developments and treat every change as an opportunity to grow.

– Vikas Agrawal, Infobrandz

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.

1. Prioritize Your Site’s Performance

When setting up an online store from scratch or by using platforms like Shopify, always prioritize your website’s performance. This means getting the basics right for your site and looking into matters like your load time, navigation, broken links, unoptimized images, code density, content delivery network (CDN) concerns and caching issues. A website with a clunky user experience won’t get you anywhere.

– Jared Atchison, WPForms

2. Consider Sales Tax Implications

One thing that new entrepreneurs overlook when setting up their first online store is the sales tax implications of selling online. Depending on your products and your customers’ locations, you may be required to collect and remit sales tax. Meet with your CPA to make sure you understand the sales tax laws and nexus rules before starting your online store. It will save you a world of headache.

– Shaun Conrad, Number2 CPA Exam Resources

3. Think About the User Experience

Prioritize the user experience to ensure success. A well-designed UX fosters customer satisfaction and boosts sales by making it easy for shoppers to navigate, find products and complete transactions. Focus on a clean layout, intuitive navigation, responsive design for mobile and fast load times. This can help convert visitors into loyal customers and they can grow their businesses more effectively.

– Jinny Hyojin Oh, WANDR

4. Ensure You’re Up to Date on Security and Browser Trends

Be up to date on security and browser trends. If a customer is getting a warning by just accessing your website, you’ve already lost a customer. To make sure your online store is secure, you can take several steps, such as updating your site and plugins on a regular schedule, choosing a reliable hosting provider and implementing an SSL certificate. Once you have a secure site, the sky’s the limit!

– Shu Saito, SpiroPure

5. Include Detailed Product Landing Pages

If you’re in the process of starting your first online store, don’t forget to create detailed product landing pages. On each landing page, include a list of features and benefits. Users need to know how your product or service will improve their lives before they make a purchase, and product pages are by far the easiest way to relay this information.

– John Turner, SeedProd LLC

6. Build an Email List as Soon as Possible

One thing to remember when setting up your online store is that it’s never too early to start building your email list. Create a “coming soon” page as a placeholder on your site until it’s finished. Promote your new brand on social media and ask people to subscribe for the latest updates. You’re far more likely to see sales on day one if you have an email list packed with prospects.

– Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

7. Focus on Search Engine Optimization

One tip new entrepreneurs should remember when setting up their online store is prioritizing search engine optimization (SEO) from the beginning. This includes conducting thorough keyword research, optimizing on-page elements such as title tags and meta descriptions and building quality backlinks to the site. Properly optimizing the site for SEO can help increase brand awareness and sales.

– Miles Jennings, Recruiter.com

8. Implement Practices to Guarantee User Privacy

One crucial aspect to consider when setting up your online store is user privacy. This is because protecting your customers’ personal information is becoming increasingly essential for building trust and maintaining a strong brand reputation. To ensure user privacy, you must implement strong encryption protocols, use a secure payment gateway and have a clear and transparent privacy policy.

– Kelly Richardson, Infobrandz

9. Keep It Simple

Keep things simple, and don’t get carried away with all the bells and whistles at your disposal. Early on, it’s best to focus on getting a functional site live that makes it easy for visitors to find and purchase whatever you’re selling. A simple approach helps eliminate distractions from your site and helps ensure a frictionless shopping experience.

– Ian Blair, BuildFire

10. Pay Attention to Your ‘Checkout Flow’

When setting up your online store, pay attention to your checkout flow. Most people will leave a website with items in their cart if the checkout process is clunky or missing key features. I suggest including an “always on” shopping cart, a minimal payment form, a progress bar and multiple ways to pay to maximize your conversion rate.

– Daman Jeet Singh, FunnelKit

11. Optimize for Mobile

Optimizing for mobile is crucial when setting up an online store. With more and more customers using their mobile devices to browse and shop, it’s important to ensure your website is mobile-friendly and offers a seamless user experience. Failing to do so could lead to a significant loss in potential sales and customers due to frustrations during shopping.

– Andrew Saladino, Kitchen Cabinet Kings

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.

1. Know Your Data

Be sure to know your data. If it’s your first client, you have to spend the time to fully understand them, their business, their needs, their shortcomings and more. Frankly, this advice goes for all clients, but especially your first client. When they bring something up, you will be able to respond intelligently, instead of with, “I’ll go look into that.” This makes them see you as a partner and expert.

– Jason Azevedo, MRCA

2. Do What You Say When You Say You’ll Do It

Your first client understands you are figuring things out and that there may be bumps along the way. They want to be in the know for the good and the bad; more importantly, they want to hear the bad directly from you, and they want to feel that you are controlling the flow of information.

– Liam Leonard, DML Capital

3. Go the Extra Mile

Go the extra mile — or more! Show your passion for the job and your compassion for the client. In this dog-eat-dog world, people tend to think, “What’s in it for me?” so kindness and proactivity are rare to find. If you’re genuine, you will shine. It is never about impressing a client; it is more about sincerely caring for the client and the project, which will then lead to productivity and engagement.

– Daisy Jing, Banish

4. Follow Up With Them

After you get your first client, send a follow-up email. Sometimes just saying something like, “Thanks for taking time to speak with me,” can go a long way in solidifying a new client relationship. It’s also a great way to provide any necessary follow-up information or additional resources. It’s just a final little touch that shows the client that they are more than just a transaction.

– Shu Saito, All Filters

5. Provide Clear, Comprehensive Documentation

Having clear and comprehensive documentation goes a long way toward impressing clients. Just create a document that includes a summary, your offer, terms and conditions and more. Such documentation can serve as a quick reference, making things easier for everyone. Meanwhile, it subtly highlights that you’re a professional and this isn’t your first rodeo.

– Blair Williams, MemberPress

6. Focus on Presentation

Presentation is everything. Whether it’s a service or product, be sure that it’s presented to the client in the best possible manner with good quality and courteous communication. Go the extra mile to make sure that the client’s needs are met and they are happy. Think of what you would want if you were the client and what would make you recommend this product or service to others. – Benjamin Rojas, All in One SEO

7. Pay Attention

Pay attention to them! Clients want to feel like they matter and that their time is well spent with you. Connect with them as a person. Take time to understand where they are coming from and what goals they have. When you have that understanding, it will be easier for you to meet their goals and expectations, which will create client loyalty.

– Mary Harcourt, CosmoGlo

8. Respond Quickly

Answer back quickly! Communication is the key to any good relationship. If your client feels that you get back to them with answers, next steps or deliverables quickly and efficiently (or clearly communicate any setbacks or expectations), they’re more likely to trust you and refer you out or hire you again.

– Jacob Tanur, Click Play Films

9. Deliver a Quick Win

Deliver a quick and substantial win. Set the tone right away with consistent and meaningful deliverables. That way, you can show you’re more than just a good salesperson and that you are able to produce real value. This works because ultimately they want a partner who can help them find blind spots, act on opportunities and contribute to their bottom line.

– Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep Mattress

10. Be Punctual

The first impression is the best impression, and you want to make sure that the first impression you give to your new client will be a positive one. Make sure that you are always on time for meetings and always answer emails in a timely manner. It’s also important to maintain a professional demeanor while working with your clients.

– Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

11. Implement Their Feedback

One way to build rapport with your very first client is to encourage them to send you feedback. We have a program where we encourage our customers to send us feedback on our software so we can make improvements. If your business is brand new, there are likely a few things that need to be fixed. Listening to your first customers and making fast changes based on their thoughts will impress them.

– John Turner, SeedProd LLC

12. Be Honest

Deliver what you pitch and be clear and honest in your communications, from beginning to end. Clarity and honesty go an incredibly long way, regardless if it is your first or 40th client. So many entrepreneurs overpromise and then find themselves making excuses or delivering work that doesn’t hit the mark.

– Matthew Capala, Alphametic

13. Immerse Yourself in the Project

They say overdelivering is what keeps clients happy, but, honestly, I feel that immersion is more important. Immersion into the project shows that you are wholeheartedly interested in seeing them succeed. If you’re immersed, they will feel like they’re getting A+ service, which will impress them. It works because it’s “showing” over “telling,” and that wins hearts.

– Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day

14. Create a Plan to Address Their Needs

The one thing you can do to impress your first client is spend time with them, listen to all their needs and come up with a plan to address them. Some of their needs may not be available to work on yet, and you need to be honest with them about that. Even so, you can include them in a plan.

– Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure