What Entrepreneur Skills are Needed to be Successful?
Welcome to the Wednesday, Feb 19th version of the "Knup Letter". Happy Hump Day!
Today I was reflecting on the “speed” one operates at as an entrepreneur. Or maybe this is just me?
I’m not good at being patient. As a business owner that wears many hats, my first inclination when I need something done is — learn it — do it. Most times when I try to “hire” to get it done… It ends up taking 10x longer and still not done the way I envision it. Maybe this is a ME problem.
But that said, that quality has forced me to LEARN a lot over the last 10 years of my life. Everything from SEO to web development to coding to sales techniques and on and on…
A real life example… CodedContent.ai is ready to REALLY scale. I mean like really go to market. So naturally, we needed a website / landing page / documentation area. I contemplated over and over to hire this out or not… Then one night, I just dove in.
Created the Wordpress
Tied the DNS to the site
Found an amazing theme
Customized the theme to my liking
Created the content for the site
Made the site flow
Put in call to actions
Created a knowledge base around it
Tied the form fields to our CRM
I think you get the point… Basically, within a 12 hour work session this site was up and operational. Is it perfect? No! But is it like 95% what I wanted. Yes!
If I were to hire this out, it would have dragged on for weeks if not months to get to this point. And cost $5-$10K on top of that. And likely would have been 75% happy with it.
So if you are an entrepreneur, learn skills. Learn a lot of skills. There may be times it makes sense to “just do it” and make things happen.
On to today’s news….
Light news day… Below are the news stories and press releases you won’t want to miss across our four pillars.
Illinois Issues Cease-and-Desist Letters to 11 Sports Betting Operators [BUSINESS] – Illinois is cracking down on unlicensed sports betting, issuing cease-and-desist letters to 11 operators accused of offering services without proper authorization. The state is making it clear—only licensed platforms can operate legally. Is this the start of a bigger crackdown across the U.S.?
VGW Raises Minimum Player Age to 21 Amid Rising Scrutiny [BUSINESS] – Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) is increasing its minimum player age from 18 to 21, responding to regulatory pressure and responsible gambling concerns. With scrutiny on online gaming growing, could this be the start of wider industry changes?
Word of the Day: INTENTIONAL
Being intentional means making conscious choices that align with your goals, values, and priorities. It’s about acting with purpose, rather than just reacting to what life throws at you.
In a world filled with distractions and endless opportunities, those who succeed—whether in business, sports, or personal growth—are the ones who deliberately set their path and stay focused on it.
In entrepreneurship, being intentional is a game-changer. Every decision, from the products you create to the partnerships you form, should serve a greater strategy. Too many businesses fail because they chase trends instead of sticking to a clear vision.
The best entrepreneurs don’t just “go with the flow”—they make calculated moves, knowing that every choice shapes their future success. Being intentional in business also means protecting your time, surrounding yourself with the right people, and saying “no” to things that don’t serve your long-term goals.
Sports provide another perfect example of intentionality. The greatest athletes don’t just rely on talent—they train with purpose, set goals, and follow a disciplined routine. Every rep in the gym, every film session, every dietary choice is made with the bigger picture in mind.
The same applies to life: if you’re not intentional with your habits, time, and relationships, you’ll drift instead of progress. So whether you’re an entrepreneur, an athlete, or someone striving for personal growth, the question is—are you living with intent, or are you just going through the motions?
To piggy back on what I said in the intro… Entrepreneurship isn’t just about having big ideas—it’s about having the right skills to execute them. When you can do things yourself, you move faster, save money, and stay in control.
Learning skills like web development, SEO, sales, and copywriting helps you test ideas, attract customers, and grow without waiting on others. Even if you eventually hire help, knowing the basics lets you make better decisions and avoid costly mistakes.
Some of the most valuable skills include financial management, project organization, and analytics. If you understand profit margins, cash flow, and budgeting, you can keep your business stable.
Tracking data and key performance metrics helps you see what’s working and what’s not, so you don’t waste time guessing. And when you use tools like Trello or Notion to manage tasks, you stay focused instead of feeling overwhelmed.
Marketing is another big piece. Learning social media, paid ads, and branding lets you promote your business without spending a fortune on agencies. A strong online presence, combined with persuasive sales skills, makes it easier to attract leads and close deals. And with basic graphic design skills, you can create professional-looking content that builds trust with your audience.
At the end of the day, successful entrepreneurs are self-reliant. The more skills you develop, the faster you can move, the fewer roadblocks you’ll hit, and the more confident you’ll be in running your business.
While you can’t do everything forever, knowing how things work gives you an edge—because in business, speed and execution matter. We put together a full post about 10 Entrepreneur Skills Needed to be Successful over on Knup.com!
We are looking for a small post-allstar break hangover from both the Hornets and the Lakers tonight. Majority is all over the OVER in this one… Going to fade that and take Under 227.5 in this one to kick off the second half of the season.
PICK: CHA/LAK Under 227.5
Sponsors Note: Are you looking for a scaleable sports content solution at an affordable price for your brands? Coded Content is here! Offering data drive AI sports content that is unique and personalized to your brand. Sports previews, player news, player prop articles, game recaps, top listicle articles, and much more! Integrated directly into your setup for hands off distribution, saving you time & money on planning, creation, editing, publishing and maintenance. Head over to CodedContent.ai and mention “The Knup Letter” for a free trial of the future of sports content.
Current Calendars… Sports Calendar | iGaming Calendar
Have a great Wednesday everyone! Holler if you need anything as you go down your professional journey in any of these areas :)
Knup