Are entrepreneurs born or bred?

"Some men are born great, some achieve greatness
and others have greatness thrust upon them"

Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Opinions vary on whether entrepreneurs are born, bred, or are a combination of both. It is often believed that people are born to be entrepreneurs, but increasingly it is recognised that at least some (and probably the majority) of the skills associated with entrepreneurship, and how to apply them successfully, can be learnt.

Dr Pauric McGowan, Director of the Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship (NICENT) believes that entrepreneurs are both born and made. Some people are born with entrepreneurial traits and behaviours but they must develop these traits and also learn skills such as management skills. He also believes that everyone has the potential to become an entrepreneur and that entrepreneurial traits and skills are useful in well-established businesses where they can be used to improve, for example, the running of the business.

Not everybody can or should be an entrepreneur all of the time, but we may all be able to benefit from the ability to apply some of the skills associated with entrepreneurship in our working lives.

So, can you learn to be an entrepreneur?