Today we are seeing more and more people jump-start their career dreams by building their own businesses from the ground up. In fact, 2015 showed the largest year-over-year increase from the past two decades for startups. It’s no wonder, given today’s technology and resources, that 67 percent of Millennials surveyed in the U.S. said their goals involve starting their own businesses.

Entrepreneurs are naturally inclined to take chances and seize opportunities, making a path where others are too weary to tread. It’s a game of high risk and high reward that has often resulted in life-changing products and services—think Uber, PayPal, eBay or Spanx. When it comes to identifying entrepreneurs, one size certainly does not fit all, but here are a few types you might identify with along with some business insights to keep in mind when launching your big idea. Go for it, the opportunity is yours for the taking!

Type 1: The Niche Products Entrepreneur

Likes: Pebble watches and exotic pets (think sugar gliders and Tibetan mastiffs)

Drinks: Black coffee or oolong tea sourced straight from China via their local Chinese market

Startup Idea: Pet-friendly bookstore that only sells self-published novels

Business Insight: If you’re a product-driven entrepreneur then you know inventory rules your business. You may spend most of your time managing how to bring down your costs, maximize profits, move product and pay your vendors. From selling travel bags made of organic cotton to handmade jewelry on Etsy or your own e-commerce website, you need to stay on top of your cash flow. Whether you’re receiving or making payments, you can’t afford to let your business fall behind.

Type 2: The Experiential Entrepreneur

Wears: Skirt-and-heels combo or a Hugo Boss suit (even at a barbecue)

Reads: The Startup Playbook by David S. Kidder

Startup Idea: Service firm—consulting/producing events /marketing/social media

Business Insight: If you’re thinking of starting a service-based business, presentation is everything. Being able to answer questions on the spot and offer estimates and quotes can provide a real advantage. Making adjustments to a quote in real time is not only efficient, but also makes a great impression. Clients will see that you’ve got a process in place and that you’re running a solid operation, this translates to greater trust, which often turns into repeat business and referrals. Now that’s time and money and well spent.

Type 3: The Practical Entrepreneur

Never Tires Of: Thinking of ways to make life more efficient. This entrepreneur asks “Wouldn’t it be great if there were an app to request a cab?” and then Uber was born

Favorite Hashtags: #DIY, #AllDayEveryDay, #Innovate

Startup Idea: Which one?

Business Insight: As a practical entrepreneur, you know what you want to do and look for tools to make it happen in an easier, faster and more cost-effective way. Your keywords are streamline and efficiency. Multi-tasking is your first, middle and last name, so you’d appreciate being able to receive payments, create an invoice, and check your balance sheet all in one sitting so you can get back to nurturing the eureka! moments of your day.

Type 4: The All-in-One Entrepreneur

Skillset: Writer, Designer, Programmer, Marketer…name it, this entrepreneur does it

Startup Idea: An online collection of fashion stores built by users for other users

Business Insight: Finished the business plan? Check. Polished the mission statement?

Check. Secured investors? Wait, who is working on the numbers? As much fun as doing everything yourself can be, being the all-in-one entrepreneur shouldn’t mean you’re a one-man team. It’s smart to offload work, and having a financial tool that allows someone else to take the reins with easy, multi-person access will free up a precious little thing called time. Bonus tip: When you’re ready to take your passion to a global level, be ready to say “merci” or “gracias” with the ability to invoice in multiple currencies. Trust me, less time with your bookkeeping lets you have more face-time building out ideas with your amazing team.

Type 5: The Already-Funded Entrepreneur

Friends With: Visionaries and people with deep pockets

Startup Idea: To build the next cool startup

Business Insight: Does this sound like you? Well, then you’re already ahead of the pack. You know how hard it is to get funded and how important it is to keep your investors happy and well informed. If you’re this lucky entrepreneur you’ll want to make sure you can provide accurate financial reports on demand. They need a Profit & Loss report? Done. Aging receivables? Done. They want to invest more? Thank you!

Regardless of the type, there is one thing that connects all entrepreneurs, and that is the desire to make a living doing what they love. With so many tools and resources readily available, this is an amazing time for a self-starter, like you, to breathe life into your dream and make it your career reality. Let your passion be your purpose.

This article first appeared on smallbizdaily as a guest writer

It’s a hectic Tuesday morning—you’re scheduling meetings with investors, emailing the new marketing assistant, and trying to figure out how to improve the way you run your business. Being an entrepreneur means you’re on top of everything your startup needs—even though at times it may not feel like it—but are you taking the time to learn new things so you can recharge and grow, too?

Before you say “I don’t have time for that!” consider tuning in to TED Talks as an easy and edutaining way to inject a little guidance into your personal and professional development. From 11-year-old jazz prodigies to business advice based on New York City trash, TED Talks present a range of topics based on the concept that great ideas can be shared in an average of 18 minutes or less; ideal for busy entrepreneurs.

Here’s a list of my favorite TED Talks for you to add to your personal 2015 “lesson plan.” You may be surprised by what you can learn from a 13-year-old, an Aussie, a couple of failures, and a guy named Simon!

Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are (20:55)

Take note of the way you’re sitting right now—it says a lot about who you are. Amy Cuddy is an expert in nonverbal behavior, and her TED Talk demonstrates how confident posture can positively affect your brain and increases your chances for success. Heed her advice, “fake it until you become it,” and that goes for your body language as well. Take a few minutes to be mindful of your body language right before your next big investor or pitch meeting. Maybe even test Cuddy’s advice by striking a “Wonder Woman” pose before the meeting to boost your confidence. Give her nonverbal behavior suggestions a try and notice how your guests respond to your more poised approach.

How Leaders Inspire Action (17:57)

There’s good reason why Simon Sinek’s speech is the third most watched video on TED: he demonstrates the power of “why.” Sinek shows how the most influential leaders have achieved great success by connecting their message to a purpose. Using examples like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Steve Jobs, Sinek explains, “People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Chances are you have been more focused on “what” you do then “why.” Making a shift to identifying your brand’s purpose is a great way to create a more meaningful connection with your consumer.

How to Make Work-Life Balance Work (9:57)

Nigel Marsh asks a very important question that, as an entrepreneur, you need to be able to answer: “What does a life well-lived look like?” Starting your own business is everything you’ve dreamed of, and it’s far too easy to let your other passions disappear because of it. Marsh argues that focusing on business success while neglecting other meaningful relationships and aspects of your life is an unbalanced measure of success. He instead suggests a more balanced approach to work-life balance and offers some ideas worth every businessperson’s time.

The Fringe Benefits of Failure (20:58)

When J.K. Rowling began to write the story of a magical, orphaned boy who lived in a broom closet, she had no idea of the success that would follow. In this speech, she opens up about the heartbreak of failure as a means for learning how to push ourselves to succeed. True success takes risks, and as the owner of a company you know that because you took a chance and followed your passion in hopes of a more rewarding career. Facing and embracing failure as opposed to fearing it will offer you an opportunity, and your reward will be the knowledge of how to react to adversity.

What Adults Can Learn From Kids (8:05)

Would you ever take advice from a 13-year-old? Well, Adora Svitak encourages you to. In this piece, Svitak schools adults everywhere while debunking the myth that adults always know better. She effectively argues that age and experience often hinder creativity and limit ideation. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to identify with the child-like spirit of daring and risk-taking; however, as you immerse yourself into your business and the stresses of success and fears of failure kick in, chances are you’ll be playing the role of the responsible adult sooner than you thought. To keep your inner child alive, turn to your team for fresh ideas and input; they don’t carry the burden you do, so tap into their imagination in order to explore ideas and opportunities that benefit your growth.

Success, Failure and the Drive to Keep Creating (7:14)

Eat, pray, love and create! Like J.K. Rowling, Elizabeth Gilbert passionately reinforces the idea that we learn best from our failure. When you experience great failure or even great success, it is important to remember your “home” so that you can return to it and stay focused on your goal. In this case, home is your passion, your craft, and your service. When faced with challenges, avoid paralysis by forging ahead and focusing on creating and producing. The actionable and creative energy will often help you work through the obstacles. If you’re wondering where that passion comes from, Gilbert has some ideas on the source of creativity.

The above links are just a few nuggets of inspiration available, and if you’re like me you’ll quickly realize investing a few minutes to explore nearly any subject in the TED Talks library can pay off big in your business and personal development. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be inspiring others and presenting ideas worth sharing with your very own TED Talk!

This article first appeared on Idea Cafe