Claudia Harvey and her business partner, Wendy Johannson, are part of a very select group they appeared on CBCs Dragons Den, and actually landed investment in their company from venture capitalist Kevin OLeary.

Daunting as it was, that may have been the easy part.

Its a real change from the creative aspect, developing the product, to planning and running a business, Harvey says. You dont know what you dont know at that point.

Four years later, their Dig-it Gloves, designed to protect manicured nails while the wearer gardens or does other activities, are carried by Home Depot and other major outlets, and are selling well. The business, with a head office in Toronto and satellite in Vancouver, is growing, and now offers a range of products from fashionable safety glasses to a natural insect repellant.

That success puts them in an even more select group, says University of Guelph professor of business Jamie Gruman.

If you look at the statistics, most business ventures fail, he says.

Why? As Harvey puts it, making the transition from entrepreneur to entrepreneur-with -employees isnt easy.

The traits that make someone a good entrepreneur are not exactly the same as the traits that make someone a good manager, explains Gruman.

But there is some overlap, so here aresome of the qualities you need to be both a successful entrepreneur, and a great leader.

Risk-taking

More here:
Anatomy of a Great Leader