ESI Entrepreneur Types

The myNexus Entrepreneur Skills Index (ESI) measures your skills and capabilities based on certain personality traits. You can discover your type at entrepreneurskillsindex.com.

• ESI Types
• The Entrepreneur
• The Disruptor
• The Innovator
• The Inventor
• The Intrapreneur
• The Instigator
• The Creative
• The Techie
• The Anti-preneur

ESI Types

On the x-axis is the level of Entrepreneur Aptitude (EA Index) which is a scientific measure of potential and your likelihood for business success.

The y-axis is the Entrepreneur Competence Factors (ECF Index) which is a measure of your preference towards the skills that indicate entrepreneurial strength.

The Entrepreneur

The Entrepreneur may be the natural CEO but they are also adept at slotting into the different parts of the organisation as required. This is a great source of strength and can be an equal source of tension. Depending on the strength of your entrepreneurial skills you may find that your abilities can be overwhelming to some.

The very best entrepreneurs also have highly tuned social skills and emotional intelligence that allows them to carefully balance their ability to do everything at the start of a new venture, before ultimately building a team and passing on this knowledge and experience. The Entrepreneur types are often outgoing people, with unique and inspiring ways of seeing and thinking about the world. Although you exhibit the characteristics of the Entrepreneur type you might find that your neighbouring strengths are where you prefer your role to be in an organisation.

The Disruptor

Disruptors occupy a space between Intrapreneurs and Inventors. Like Intrapreneurs they have a reasonably well rounded set of skills suited to internally focused invention and innovation however their higher level aptitude for entrepreneurship means that they have a greater capacity for pushing into the external sphere. These individuals are able to invent but also connect that invention to their future vision and understand how that invention could be exploited.

The Disruptor can see the future in the same way as an entrepreneur but lacks some of the practicalities of making it happen. A Disruptor can become an Entrepreneur type by working on their lower rated skill areas.

The Innovator

Innovators occupy a space between Intrapreneurs and Instigators. Like Intrapreneurs they have a reasonably well rounded aptitude suited to internally focused invention and innovation however their higher level skills and capabilities means that they have a greater capacity for pushing into the external sphere. These individuals are able to instigate change and solutions but also take the ideas of others and transform them.

The Innovator does not always see the future in exactly the same way as an Entrepreneur but has the same skill set for being a change maker. An Innovator can become an Entrepreneur type by working on developing their understanding of the context of the change rather than the execution of change itself.

The Inventor

The Inventor is a creative visionary. They understand the theory of entrepreneurship but have lower levels of entrepreneurial skills and capabilities. This makes them a great creative and producer of ideas and inventions, however they may not be feasible or viable. In the event that the idea is a good one, they will lack the skills and capabilities to execute and need support.

Some inventors may simply have that creative flair and just need to develop their knowledge and experience of entrepreneurship to improve their success. Some will find that they enjoy the creative and inventive nature of entrepreneurship and are well suited personality-wise to this role.

The Intrapreneur

The Intrapreneur sits at the heart of entrepreneur types. A tempered version of the ‘true’ Entrepreneur type they are great in large companies where entrepreneurial behaviour is valued. As an all-rounder they bridge the gap between the specialists and the generalists, helping to translate and plug gaps in teams.

For the Intrapreneur the battle between specialist and generalist can often stretch to their own person as they struggle with the identity of being sometimes very enterprising and at the same time not enterprising enough. The options for development are extensive and by deepening their already broad experience they can move in to fully fledged disruptors, innovators or entrepreneurs.

The Instigator

The Instigator is built on the foundation of technician. They have high levels of entrepreneurial skills and capabilities but are not concerned with the mechanics of entrepreneurship itself. This makes them a great starter of solutions often focused in areas of specialism or a niche, however they may not be feasible or viable. In the event that the idea is a good one, they will lack the understanding of how to follow through with the idea and need support.

Some instigators may simply just need to develop their comprehension and experience of entrepreneurship to improve their potential for success. Some will find that they enjoy the technical or first-stages of entrepreneurial ventures and are well suited personality-wise to this role.

The Creative

The Creative is an ideas person. They have a solid grasp of entrepreneurship mechanics but have lower levels of entrepreneurial skills and capabilities. This makes them great at producing ideas and inventions but they will not necessarily connect to positive change or solving a problem.

Creatives may need support to develop their ideas further or gain more experience of creating in new domains and environments. Some creatives will be very happy to maintain this role and be a generator of alternative thinking, however there is opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills to become more rounded, or even transform through experience into a more disruptive creative.

The Techie

The Techie is a can do person. They have a good set of entrepreneurial skills and capabilities but are not concerned about the mechanics of entrepreneurship itself. This makes them a great technical specialist that can execute reasonably well and solve problems, but may not be as creative.

Techies may need support to develop their sense of creativity and proactivity, or in stepping outside of their comfort zone to take more calculated risks. Some Techies will be very happy to maintain this role and be a solid subject matter expert, however there is opportunity to develop their aptitude for entrepreneurship and be more intrapreneurial, or even transform into an Innovator.

The Anti-preneur

It is highly likely that you value stability, are not energised by change, and have a fixed mindset. Another feature of persons with this type is that Entrepreneurial activities and ways of thinking can feel very stressful or unnatural.

Unless you are a pure anti-preneur with low scores across the board, within your individual scores there will be elements of your skills or traits that score towards medium or are even high. Working on development of these areas of strength will improve your rating and could help you move into a creative, technical or intrapreneurial type.