Entrepreneurs, regardless of industry, often have at least one thing in common: their personality type. An entrepreneur is the natural outcome of combining high levels of ambition and the desire to be in charge, with a healthy sense of competitiveness sprinkled on top. There’s a well-known way of categorising these kinds of people: Type A.
What is Type A
Type A was coined in the 1970s by two cardiologists, who used it to label their cardiac patients with high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease. It has since evolved in definition, and now encompasses the strict set of behavioural patterns.
Everyone knows a Type A person. They are ambitious and fast-paced, with little to no patience and an intense concentration on their goals – which are often lofty and difficult to achieve. Even when they reach those goals, they don’t seem satisfied, already looking for the next challenge. “Resting on one’s laurels” is not a phrase many Type A people believe in. They certainly don’t practise it. These individuals are often go-getters and workaholics, and are always down for a bit of competition, provided they win.
Overall, it is unsurprising to find Type A people in management positions or striking out on their own endeavours. Type A people often end up in charge of things. It is where they thrive, as they have complete control over their environment and circumstances and are allowed to grow at their own (generally fast) pace with efficiency.
This is a highly generalised overview of Type A individuals, and they are not the only personality types in the workplace. Very few people completely embody this definition, as personality types are fluid and influenced by circumstance and experience. However, there is one solid fact: you have to be a little bit Type A to be an entrepreneur.
Type A and Entrepreneurialism
Because of their personality strengths, Type A people often gravitate towards careers like entrepreneurialism and business coaching. They bring their ambition and work-centric mindset into the office every day and are ready to get the job done.
Type A people are inclined to make their occupation the number one priority in life. This lends itself well to entrepreneurialism and business coaching, as in these professionals, one is hardly ever off the clock. It does have several drawbacks, such as social isolation and disinterest in self-care. Still, Type As can achieve a solid work-life balance once they figure out how to shut off ‘work mode’.
They are also incredibly organised and passionate. When staking one’s livelihood on a business idea, it’s necessary to have a well-defined plan and a passion for the project. It’s far easier to go all-in on something when it’s a matter close to the heart. This passion comes with focus and the ability to block out distractions in favour of the ultimate goal. Type A workers don’t waste time getting to what needs to be done.
However, Type A didn’t start as a category for overly stressed people for no reason. Elevated blood pressure and heart diseases are the extreme outcomes of living such a high-intensity work life, where there’s nary a second to spare between projects. Type A people are often incredibly stressed and prone to hypertension, which quickly leads to burnout, or worse. The question is: what can be done about it?
How Hippo Helps Type A People
Hippo works with many entrepreneurs and business coaches, helping them manage their sometimes overwhelming piles of work. We begin by introducing them to our S.O.S Framework, designed to reduce the number of tasks on our client’s plate.
The ‘Systemise’ aspect of the S.O.S is the part most entrepreneurs and business coaches have trouble with, as it pushes them to let go of certain tasks. Type A people loathe having to hand over any work to someone else, which business coach Rebecca Neale mentions in an interview with us.
We understand that feeling well, as a company founded by entrepreneurs. But, we also understand how crushing and stressful the mounds of work can be. How annoying the day-to-day stuff is compared to future profit-producing opportunities. These are the exact things that chip away at the little patience Type A people have, and what we at HIPPO work to reduce.
HIPPO strives to find the happiness influences in a business and remove the time-wasting chores, allowing more time to focus on what matters. It’s an efficient way of handling a large issue in the industry. And if there’s one thing a Type A person values most, it’s efficiency.
