IT Know-How: A Prerequisite For Today's Entrepreneur

Hello fellow Forumites,
Being IT savy in today's world is no longer an option if you want to get ahead as an entrepreneur. The world is evolving and things are changing rapidly. I remember a time when knowing how to operate a desktop computer and carry out desktop publishing and the like, was considered special knowledge. You had to go to a computer training college and all that. Back then, many set up and ran their businesses without a clue as to how to boot a computer system!

Fast forward twenty years, and that is no longer the case! Teenagers are doing all of what we learned in computer colleges back then, on their laptops at home and lots more! It would rather be a surprise today if you can't find your way around on a computer system as an adult, not to talk of a business owner.

In the same way, up until about a decade ago, you didn't need to know if there was any such thing as an email address to be a successful entrepreneur. That would be laughable today. With so many IT-based innovations and start-ups coming to life around us, as an entrepreneur, you would be behaving like the proverbial ostrich not to get busy learning about programming langauges for website building and other relevant IT skills.

Just like many did with computer know-how in the past, you may think you could always get techies and computer geeks to do your web, app and other IT-related stuff. While that may be true, it would put you at a disadvantage because for one, you may find it very challlenging to get your IT man to set things up exactly the way you have it in your head, especially if it's something new.

Secondly, knowing your way around the IT environment would give you a headstart since you would setup your innovative idea by yourself and most importantly, it would help cut down costs. Hefty sums that would have been paid out to someone else is put to more judicious use. Very soon, it may be considered strange if you are not IT skilled not to mention being an entrepreneur.