Are you an Honestrepreneur? What exactly is a honestrepreneur and what does being one mean?

First an Honestrepreneur is honest with themself. Once an entrepreneur can be honest with themself they should carry that forward with their team and customers. This is not to say that being an Honestrepreneur is a realist or a pessamist. It means that they understand the value in honesty and transparency.

An honest entrepreneur quickly builds credibility and trust.

• Be honest with yourself. What are you trying to accomplish with the venture. Set realistic but challenging goals for yourself. You must leave room for hope, but not at the cost of denial. If you are honest with yourself you will know whether you are on track or need to refocus your efforts.

• Approach your team with honesty. They may not need to know all the details, but they will appreciate you sharing truthful information with them in a timely manner. If things aren't going well in the venture it will not be a secret to the rest of the team, they will sense that something isn't going well.

• Present honest data about your venture to potential investors. They understand that metrics can be skewed to be more favorable to you. They also understand that numbers are estimates so estimate accurately and realistically. This will help them understand you are not over-inflated on your own hype.

• Customers appreciate honesty. Be transparent about how you are or will be using their data. Let them know in advance and as plainly as possible so there is no confusion. Customers are loyal when you deliver on your promise, whether it is for a product or a service. You may have to share bad news with your customers at some point, and if you do timeliness matters. They may be disappointed, but hopefully you will retain their trust and respect for your history of being honest.

Being an Honestrepreneur may not be easy, but it will help you excel in the long run.

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