There is no standard model for project owners. Profiles are diverse and will influence the approach that the creator will have to the development of his company. Although it may seem obvious, the research work on the entrepreneur’s profiles is very important because it allows the creation of benchmarks in certain work and creation mechanisms. But what are these profiles? And what influences an entrepreneur?
Definition
To be a project leader is to launch the creation, development and/or takeover of a business. By creating a job, the entrepreneur becomes part of an economy with a product and/or service proposal.
According to the Shapero model (1975), the entrepreneur is defined according to four variables
Psychological : this variable determines the entrepreneur’s ability to take action and is built around his motivations and attitudes.
- Situational : these are the elements that constitute the entrepreneur’s context. Both from a positive point of view (meeting a strong network, discovery of a new product) and a negative one (unstable financial situation, forced move, etc.)
- Sociological : the project owner will be influenced by the entrepreneurial culture he or she has experienced in his or her life. The family, the social condition, his professional background will have an impact.
- Economic : related to the feasibility of the act, this variable includes all the resources to which the entrepreneur will have access.
In 1989, Belley added the notion of opportunity to these variables. The creator of tomorrow’s businesses is then forged around the combination of these psychological factors, situation, feasibility, credibility and opportunity.
The profiles
The profiles are as varied as there are individuals on the planet. Each one of them will boast a different experience, background and skills which, combined, will form a project owner. If, of course, the entrepreneur does not lose the uniqueness that comes from his or her history and personality, there are various models that make it possible to apprehend particular types of profiles.
PIC and CAP
In this article, we would like to review the PIC and CAP profiles, defined by Pierre André Julie and Michel Marschesnay.
This model highlights the profiles of project owners motivated by three socio-economic axes: sustainability, independence and growth. Depending on the profile, two main action logics emerge.
- The PIC profile
Also called “expert entrepreneur”, this profile refers to the project leader whose first desire is to practice his or her profession, even before thinking about organizational issues. In order of interest: Sustainability, Independence, Growth. The PIC profile has a real concern for achievement through its activity. Such a profile will recognize its comfort in self-financing and in a structure of often moderate size. It also often presents a strong attachment to a territory.
- The CAP profile
This “entrepreneur-developer” has a reverse hierarchy of goals compared to the PIC profile: Growth, Autonomy, Sustainability. Unlike the PIC profile, which will support itself through the revenues generated by its activity, the CAP profile uses the profits to finance growth above all. His activity is generally not based on his technique, but on a vision and a strategy. For example, he will often be very active on the commercial level. Networking is important to them and they are not afraid to join forces.
These profiles remain very general frameworks that should not supplant all the personal characteristics that give value to a project owner. There is no single profile of a good entrepreneur. There are only various characteristics that it is important to know in order to extract certain mechanisms.
Why should we determine profiles?
There are three main issues in understanding entrepreneurial profiles :
- For the entrepreneur, understanding himself is beneficial to move towards his aspirations, but also to understand his obstacles.
- For the coaching structures, because they must be able to provide a training and assistance formula customized to the entrepreneurs.
- For the financing structures, because they must be able to understand the entrepreneurial mechanisms of the people with whom they will possibly associate.
The myths of the entrepreneur
1) A project deserves a great idea.
Becoming a project owner is not necessarily being a visionary. Young companies in creation must adapt, know how to pivot: not everything is based on an idea.
2) The project leader likes risk.
Risk is not positive. The project leader must not like risk, but control it.
3) The project owner is an expert in forecasting.
The entrepreneur does not predict the future, his objective is to estimate it in order to manage realities rather than predictions.
4) The project owner has exceptional skills.
The recurring image of the entrepreneur is built around great names such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos … All of them with incredible skills. These are rare examples that do not sum up the profile of a good entrepreneur.
5) The project owner succeeds alone.
No one has all the qualities… It is necessary to look for complementary skills to carry a project, whether through associates, partners, support…
Reveal your talent as an entrepreneur !
Do you secretly dream of entrepreneurship and business creation ? Do you want to launch an idea or a project that is close to your heart ? You have every reason to believe that your idea has value. Find on this page a summary of what it means to "Become an entrepreneur" and dive into the entrepreneurial adventure by validating one by one your assumptions and by confirming your market.
Work on your profile
Knowing how to present your profile is essential because, for most people, the entrepreneurial process is seen as a human adventure. The idea sometimes matters little as long as the project owner knows how to give meaning to these motivations.
To be able to convince people with your profile, you must know how to present
- His skills : what are his strengths? Which points need to be improved? Those where a need for complementarity is necessary? In the detail of skills, you must be precise. Highlighting real technical skills is better than claiming multiple talents that are not well-founded. Never confuse quality and competence.
- Motivations and values : knowing how to explain your motivations is a key element. This will sign the individual-project fit that is so sought after by those who will study entrepreneurial profiles.
In this process, you should not hesitate to follow a coaching or a training on the subject to really optimize your presentation.