To be an entrepreneur takes possessing certain qualities.

Not everyone has what it takes, and most are happy to settle for the comfort of a 9-5, a steady job that helps pay the bills.

Others are driven; some have a high pain threshold that allows them to overcome, to endure, to improvise.

Some of the great entrepreneurs have created businesses that have made a mark and, in some cases, defined how we live. Think Steve Jobs of Apple, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook/Meta, Elon Musk of Tesla/Space X and our very own Butch Stewart, who created Sandals Resorts, and Virgin founder Richard Branson.

These business leaders were unique and thought outside the box- they were “Special Ones”.

Fear did not deter them; neither did the magnitude of their dreams. They saw things differently and persevered.

Yesterday was World Entrepreneurs Day, and Our Today is taking a look at what makes some entrepreneurs special, what marks them out. 

One in three entrepreneurs has been diagnosed as being dyslexic. According to Richard Branson, dyslexic founders in Britain contribute 4.6 million pounds a year to the UK economy.

The Cass Business School estimates that between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of entrepreneurs identify as dyslexic. Many of these entrepreneurs process information and connect ideas differently. It is their unusual thinking and view of the enterprise that makes them stand out and put their mark on what they have created.

Closer to home, take Butch Stewart for instance. With no background in the hospitality industry, he founded a world-recognised hotel brand at a time when many were pulling out of tourism in Jamaica. Sandals has gone on to become the leading Caribbean corporate brand in the world, recognised in the four corners of Earth. His mercurial approach saw him overcome many obstacles, and he inspired loyalty among those who worked for him.

“Entrepreneurs are masters at communicating with their team, their customers and the media. They have a clear, uncomplicated style of communication that wins hearts and minds,” said Julie Logan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at London’s Cass Business School.

Many of these dyslexic entrepreneurs start their businesses early and excel at problem solving.

A Forbes article entitled “Dyslexia and Entrepreneurship: A Competitive Edge by Mike Welch cites the book  “The Dyslexic Advantage” by Brook and Fernette Eide. Here, the authors note that “ the percentage of dyslexic professionals in fields such as engineering, art and entrepreneurship is over twice the percentage of dyslexic individuals in the general population.”

Leaders in their field found to be dyslexic include Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg, Charles Schwab, Ted Turner, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs and Tommy Hilfiger.