25 Job Ideas for Future Entrepreneurs

By Indeed Editorial Team derived from Indeed

March 8, 2021

Successful entrepreneurs can come from any background. Although there isn’t one specific career path for a prospective entrepreneur, many choose to work in certain fields where their expertise is easily transferred to the work necessary to start a new business. In this article, we describe jobs in multiple industries that can serve as a good beginning for an entrepreneur.

What are entrepreneurial careers?

Entrepreneurial careers are jobs that can give you the experience and skills that help prepare you to start your own business or develop your own product. Certain careers can offer more training in the abilities and qualities necessary to take on the challenge of starting a business. Some professions like law make it easier to become an entrepreneur by starting your own business within your field of expertise. Other careers help you develop as a future entrepreneur by offering practice in business skills, management and product design.

Business careers for entrepreneurs

Many people associate the term “entrepreneur” with an experienced business professional whose expertise helps them start a successful company of their own. Working in the business and financial sector can prepare you to develop a new company structure and secure monetary resources to create a successful startup.

Here are some suggestions for careers that can give you the business savvy that can help you prepare for a future as an entrepreneur:

Financial manager: A financial manager is responsible for analyzing the monetary resources of a company including investments, profits and costs. They advise senior management regarding financial decisions by creating reports and strategizing corporate investment activities. Understanding the value of company resources can help you plan for your own startup company.
Business development manager: Business development managers act as a bridge between various departments to determine the ways a company can increase revenue and grow a customer base. They initiate business plans to develop new opportunities like reaching new markets, cultivating leads and creating sales initiatives. Business development is a key part of entrepreneurial work.
Financial analyst: Financial analysts help companies make investment choices based on predictions of market trends. They are involved in the buying and selling of stocks and other funds. They also create complex financial reports for executive management. Working as a financial analyst can prepare you to make decisions about investments for your own business.
Chief executive officer: A chief executive officer oversees the strategic operations of a company. CEOs set a vision for the company by studying thought leaders and changes in business trends. Entrepreneurs often work as the CEO for their own company or hire a competent leader to run the business once they gain industry experience.
Financial advisor: A financial advisor manages their own clients, serving as a guide and coach for both business and individuals who need assistance in managing their monetary resources. Financial advisors often act in an entrepreneurial capacity by setting up their own financial advising business as a freelance agent.

Media careers for entrepreneurs

A career in the media industry can help you gain entrepreneurial skills and experience as you prepare creative products, communicate ideas and share work with an audience. Here are some career ideas from the media industry for aspiring entrepreneurs:

Blogger: A blogger creates original written content for professional clients or for personal expression. Bloggers write with a specific audience in mind. They often use tools like search engine keywords to help guide their writing choices and build an audience to attract advertisers. As an influencer, a blogger can form partnerships with businesses as they create their own brand.
Freelance writer: Freelance writers take on writing projects and manage their own career by finding clients who need writing services. They can write for a niche area within an industry or choose writing tasks from any field by researching each topic.
Graphic designer: A graphic designer creates original graphic content for a business or as a freelance professional. Businesses hire graphic design professionals for digital content, advertising, product packaging and print materials. Graphic designers use creative marketing skills to help businesses reach consumers.
Photographer: A photographer often works as a freelance professional, booking clients and managing their own business operations. Professional photographers who work for the events business often hire assistants and help coordinate weddings or other celebrations. Photographers also work as journalists, providing photographic content for news outlets and social media.
Public relations specialist: Entrepreneurs can practice building relationships with the press and public officials as a PR specialist. Public relations professionals use communication skills to manage the affairs of an organization.

Sales and marketing careers for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs need sales and marketing skills to build their own brand and establish an online presence for their new business. Below are several career opportunities for prospective entrepreneurs to work in the sales and marketing sector:

Sales representative: Sales representatives work in different industries to sell products and services. They also find and pursue leads to bring in new clients with the goal of increasing revenue through sales. Entrepreneurs with a sales background get experience in the challenging skill of “cold calling” which means approaching unknown customers in an attempt to sell a product or service.
Sales manager: A sales manager oversees other sales agents and sets goals for selling. They may coordinate with executive management to set a team vision for sales strategies or make plans to expand into new markets. Entrepreneurs use sales and management skills to run their own business.
Marketing director: Marketing initiatives can drive sales and help brands reach larger audiences. As a marketing director, prospective entrepreneurs can work to develop the techniques they’ll need to promote a business to audiences across target markets.
Advertising executive: Advertising executives make decisions that affect how a brand is promoted to consumers. They are responsible for developing campaigns that reach millions of potential customers. Advertising executives also negotiate contracts with the media to purchase ad space online or through media programming. Many of these skills are applicable to managing a startup brand as an entrepreneur.
Social media specialist: Since business is often conducted through online platforms, social media plays a role in how a company interacts with consumers and fellow businesses. Social media specialists create and moderate online content for a company’s social media accounts. They may interact with users to provide customer service support or post engaging content. An entrepreneur can use social media expertise to help build their own brand across various online channels.

Technology careers for entrepreneurs

Technological startup companies are led by entrepreneurs who often come from an information technology background. Here are some jobs where an entrepreneur can start their career in the technology industry:

Computer and information systems manager: A computer systems manager supervises all the computer related activities of a business. They make decisions about software and hardware installation and oversee security processes for all technology. Technical management training can be a valuable skill for entrepreneurs.
User experience designer: User experience (UX) designers plan how a user interacts with a software interface. They combine artistic principles with technology to create a specific interaction for users as they engage with a software program. Entrepreneurs who come from a UX background can combine their creativity with technological expertise to implement new product ideas.
Computer engineer: A computer engineer designs hardware and software for computers. They are responsible for developing plans and models and testing a product throughout the design process, something entrepreneurs may need to do for their own designs.
Software developer: Software developers create the code necessary for a software program to operate. They also act as analysts for existing software programs, issuing updates and fixing any problems to improve a product. Entrepreneurs from the tech sector often start as developers who generate their own software concepts.
Technical director: A technical director oversees all technology use within a company. Their managerial duties and advisory role to executives make this career a valuable role for prospective entrepreneurs.

More careers for entrepreneurs

Although an entrepreneur can come from any background, certain careers help prepare you to be successful if desire to create your own business or product. Here are more jobs that can help you transition to a career as an entrepreneur:

Product manager: When a company develops something new, product managers oversee this process from initial concept to finished item. Many entrepreneurs start a successful business by working to make an idea into a real product. With experience as a product manager, entrepreneurs can easily use this knowledge to build their own concepts.
Real estate broker: A real estate broker is an agent who undergoes additional training, earning the right to run their own real estate firm. These real estate entrepreneurs oversee their own team of agents. They also develop a deep knowledge of real estate law and regulations and are responsible for ensuring the professional integrity of other agents.
Lawyer: Lawyers can become entrepreneurs by opening their own law firm, using business skills and professional expertise to attract clients. Lawyers who run their own firm must market themselves as successful professionals who help clients through legal challenges.
Private duty nurse: Private duty nurses provide in-home health care services for clients, often as independent contractors. These nursing entrepreneurs assist patients with long-term illnesses or those released from a medical facility who still need ongoing care. They build a client base through referrals or by working with a staffing agency.
Project manager: Project managers create the timeline and assign roles and duties for tasks. They delegate responsibilities to team members and set a budget. Project managing is something entrepreneurs often need to do for their own concepts or products.

Tips for becoming an entrepreneur

Here are some ideas to help you become an entrepreneur:

Invest in your passion

Know what inspires and excites you and use your passions to create a product or service that relates to what you enjoy. That way, you’ll be more motivated to build a business that matches what you love to do. Investing in a product you are passionate about means you are more likely to share that excitement with investors, clients and business partners.

Be willing to take risks

Starting something new always involves risk. Starting a business means a lot of unknown outcomes. Successful entrepreneurs acknowledge risk but overcome uncertainty by not giving up on their ideas, even after failure or setbacks.

Collaborate

Even entrepreneurs who possess multiple talents like business savvy and technical expertise need help developing a new idea and starting a business. Working with a network of professionals is an essential part of entrepreneurship.

As you start creating a product or preparing to sell a service, network with other professionals in different industries through events, organizations and online platforms. Then contract with talented individuals to develop your business.

Make a business plan

Entrepreneurship means creating a new business from an idea. To do this, you’ll need a clear plan of action with goals and specific steps to reach each objective. Many entrepreneurs don’t come from a business background. They work with professionals who can help them create a business plan that will give direction for the new brand.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses

Even the most successful entrepreneurs recognize their own limitations and strongest abilities. Once you honestly assess what you can do, you’ll be able to find business partners to compliment your strengths and weaknesses so you can lead others in launching a new product or service. Entrepreneurs provide the vision and concept for a new brand, engaging other professionals to help turn their ideas into a reality.

Believe in your ideas

Be self-assured as you create and promote your business. When you confidently present your ideas to investors, business partners or consumers, you help others feel sure that your brand is worth pursuing.