Ryan A Graves.com

I started thinking about having the right tools a few months back. It started with a burning desire to spend $1792 for a refurbished Mac Book Pro, so, yes this post is a result and a justification for that purchase.

As an entrepreneur having the right tools is critical to your success! As I began to try and figure out what those right tools were I realized they come in all shapes and sizes. The following are some of the tools that I’ve found critically important to an entrepreneur’s tool belt.

Mentors: This is a personal favorite because this process is fun. This is the process of getting to learn from someone who has blazed the trails before you. As an entrepreneur you are always talking about and pitching your business to different people (or at least you should be). This is an opportunity to shut-up and listen and learn. If you choose the right mentor then you will always be able to learn from that person no matter what stage of the game you are in, or what stage they are in. For more info on how to get mentored read my friend Larry Chiang’s post on Found|Read.

Founders: Rarely can you be the only one. During the process of founding and building a company your chances of success will significantly increase if you have a co-founder…the right co-founder. There is so much to be done in such a short period of time for an entrepreneur that having 2 or 3 team member is almost a must. Plus, again, this is the fun part. Having the change to create an incubator for ideas and the opportunity to share in successes (and failures) is sometimes the best part!

Computer: Lets be honest with ourselves for a moment. Every business now-a-days needs a good website. Whether that work is contracted out or developed by the entrepreneur it is a must. The cost of developing that portal to your customers is significantly cheaper to develop yourself. Every business also needs good communications to its customers or community. Having the right computer “tool” can help so much in this process. I’m not here to push my newly developed Apple bias on you but please take a look at this before buying a new machine.

I finally got a 15′ MacBook Pro about a week ago and it is definitely the right tool.

Tenacity: Literally nothing can stop you. If you are the track runner who hits his knee on a hurtle and stops running the race, you’re done. Having the ability to fight through ANY situation that you are faced with is the single most important tool to have in your belt. Even if you have the perfect co-founder, funding, mentors, computer, or idea, you will go absolutely no where without the tenacity to fight through the times that people say, “that idea sucks”, or “you haven’t sold any this month”. I feel so lame typing this but, never ever give up.

Purpose: When it comes down to it you need to be able to answer only one question. Why? If you can’t answer that question your passion will dry up. The drive for the business won’t exist and you won’t have the fuel to power that tenacity tool. Before you write an executive summary, mock up a prototype, or call a VC, you must be able to answer the question, why am I doing this?

With those critical tools under your belt you will be able to pull the right tool at the right time and leap “almost” any hurtle. What are other tools that you have found important to your success in business or as an entrepreneur?