Every entrepreneur knows someone who seemed destined for success—until their business failed. At the same time, others quietly build thriving companies after years of experience, setbacks and second chances. That contrast raises an important question: what if success isn’t about talent at all?

According to RaizCorp CEO Allon Raiz, the answer could be something many aspiring founders overlook—timing.

The Myth of the “Born Entrepreneur”

South Africa has embraced hustle culture. Social media celebrates young founders, overnight success stories and the idea that everyone should quit their job and launch a startup.

But the reality is far more complex.

Drawing from a personal story spanning 15 years, Raiz explains how a former intern failed during his first attempt at entrepreneurship, spent years gaining industry experience, and eventually returned to launch a business worthy of investment.

The lesson wasn’t that he suddenly became more talented.

He became more ready.

That shift challenges one of entrepreneurship’s oldest debates: are entrepreneurs born or made? Raiz believes neither tells the full story. Instead, entrepreneurial success happens when the right internal and external conditions come together.

Success Has a Season

Many aspiring founders feel pressure to start as early as possible. Yet experience, confidence and personal circumstances often matter just as much as the business idea itself.

Referencing Michael E. Gerber’s concept of the “entrepreneurial spasm” from The E-Myth Revisited, Raiz warns against launching a business simply because an opportunity appears. Without the resilience and mindset to navigate inevitable challenges, many businesses fail before they truly begin.

For South Africans navigating economic uncertainty, career shifts and rising living costs, that message feels especially relevant.

Sometimes waiting isn’t giving up.

Sometimes it’s preparing to win.

Five Signs You’re Ready

Raiz believes entrepreneurship becomes possible when several conditions align:

• You recognise a genuine opportunity—or are pushed into change by circumstance.
• You have developed the resilience to handle setbacks.
• Your tolerance for financial and personal risk matches your current stage of life.
• You believe you can gather the people, funding and resources needed to succeed.
• You’re willing to keep learning, adapting and improving.

These qualities aren’t fixed. They evolve through work experience, failures, mentorship and personal growth.

Redefining Entrepreneurial Success

For many young South Africans, entrepreneurship has become more than a career path—it’s a way to create opportunities where few exist.

Yet Raiz’s perspective offers a refreshing reminder that there is no universal timeline.

Some people build businesses in their twenties. Others discover their entrepreneurial potential much later, armed with deeper knowledge, stronger networks and greater emotional resilience.

The goal isn’t to rush the journey.

It’s to recognise when your moment has truly arrived.

Perhaps the most empowering takeaway is this: instead of asking whether you’re an entrepreneur, ask whether you’re currently ready to become one. The answer may change with time—and that could make all the difference.