Becoming a business owner is one of the most interesting things. If I may ask, is there any one that wouldn’t want to be a successful entrepreneur? I don’t think there is. The only problem in becoming an entrepreneur is how to become successful. It is hard to predict from the inception the outcome of any investment because there are chances that the business idea/investment may or may not succeed. This is where the problems of many people are….the fear of uncertainty. But one thing is sure, that is, no one ever climbs a tall tree when it is necessary with the intention that he will fall; what causes failure is when one step slips mistakenly. However, if the preparation is made and the consciousness that any mistake could inflicts injuries or even cost your life, there will be every chance that you will climb as many trees as possible without falling.
Therefore when you’re getting ready to start up your business what are your motivational factors and how strong are they?
The answers to what we want in life influence our decisions such as lifestyle, choice car, beautiful house, the self-fulfillment and the kind of education you want to give to your children and many more. These are some elements that influence us and gear us up towards taking some steps in life even when it’s not convenient. Do you sometimes feel like you’re the boss or want to be like your boss? If yes, then you must start to do what your boss is doing.
Step1. Outline Your Skills, Abilities & Weaknesses
Most times the jobs we do is not the one that can make one self-reliant, that is something you can do for some months or years and be able to do it for yourself. In most cases, the courses offered in school is not what is obtainable in real life, thus making it difficult to become an expert in what you’re doing presently. If your job does not offer you the opportunity to develop your skills, discover your weakness (challenges) and develop a mental ability to resist pressure, then it is not good for you. Most people prefer a job where they’re not challenged with difficult task and with a deadline, the bitter truth is that you’re undoing yourself, that job is not good for you. What you learn from where you are now will have a direct impact in your life generally, therefore take up challenges at work and ensure the accomplishment of tasks within a given deadline without excuses.
Step2. Write down your business idea
Write out your business ideas and ensure that each time you have new inspirations; they’re put down in writing. When you have written business ideas, it becomes possible to follow them up sequentially until they are accomplished. The best time to startup your business is now when you’re still employed, if you are. One thing about ideas is that they come and go, so if not written and followed up with immediate action, they leave you for another person.
Step3. Research about the idea and find out what makes it unique
Spend time to research about the ideas you have, this can be done using the internet, search for companies or people who are already into similar businesses you want to do, find out how it is done and look out for their strengths and weaknesses. Make inquiries from similar companies whether home or abroad leveraging from the fact that internet has broken information barrier. Always ask questions about what you do not understand such as HOW TO DO THIS OR THAT, you will receive tons of response. Also, identify the unique selling point of your idea. I started my ecommerce business when I was still an employee, this offered me the opportunity to sell varieties of products that you can’t find in the showroom of my place of work and became an opportunity to meet customers’ quest for innovations.
Step4. Set Detailed, Measurable, and Realistic Goals
Now that you have a better understanding of your future business and what makes it unique, it’s time to make it happen.
Do you want to be self-employed? The opportunity is here!
Without setting attainable goals and realistic deadlines for yourself, you’re going to spend a lot of time spinning your wheels because it’s hard to get anywhere if you don’t know exactly where you’re going. Based from my experience, it works best to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals. It helps me to stick with both the short term and long term objectives. In my to do list, my daily activities were listed which include things I need to get done first thing in the morning when I get to the office and things I need to do as soon as I returned from the field, each one is ticked when realized.
Srep5. Outsource Everything You Can
When I was planning to kick off my first business, I did not know anything about ecommerce neither do I know how to develop a website but I don’t need to learn how to design a website before I could have one, I only need to understand the basics. However, the outcome of my research and business plan was on ground to guide me. I have to outsource the web design to another company while I faced my own job. You have to outsource every technical part of the business that will take much of your time.
Step6. Take Feedback Survey
The purpose of starting your own business is to make money offering services to people therefore it’s not all about you; you should test your idea to know if what people need is what you’re offering. To find your early feedback group, you have to target people that you know will give you honest opinion about your idea and reach out to them personally.
Step7. Avoid Interference of Your Paid Job with the Personal Project.
Make sure you do not work on your project using the company’s time, remember you signed an agreement with your employer when you were taking the job. You also need to refrain from using company resources for your personal project, no matter how tempting that may be. This includes not using your work laptop, any online tools, software, subscriptions, notebooks, or seeking the assistance of other employees. Please avoid this.
If a link is ever traced connecting your personal project to anything directly related to your job, you expose yourself to potential legal action and you may lose your job when you’re not ready which could lead to a very bad situation. Just don’t do it, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.
Step8. Don’t Quit Your Job Until You Reach The Optimum Stage
Don’t quit your job unless you’re ready to do so. Let me tell you the simple truth, to be a successful entrepreneur is not just starting up a business from scratch but the ability and the resources to build the business through all its ups and down. It takes serious hard work and lots of resources to sustain business mostly at the initial stage when the revenue is not enough to take care of your family and business needs. Don’t make a rash decision of quitting your job if the business has not gain ground OR maybe needs your presence to grow.
What every entrepreneur & employee must know: Life Story
If the business idea is most sought out for, that is there is available market for it anytime any day, you can resign before launching the business. Alternatively, you must have saved enough capital to sustain you and your family for at least 6months and more.
Life generally is full of risk but those who are too fearful about taking risk may end up not achieving anything spectacular in life. When you have business idea and you’re afraid of executing it you may end up being a corporate slave all your life. Working for someone is very good because it will give you the opportunity to acquaint with different caliber of people and learn new things while working with others. But the real thing is to have your personal goal.
When you think great, you plan great, work great and you achieve greatness. You are a product of what you think.
By Ozoemena O. Charles
CMO Zuma Marketing Ltd
Zuma Marketing is a contemporary company that deals in audio-visual products and integration, modern teaching aids and educational resources. Since 2012, ZML has provided thousands of clients with reliable and cost-efficient technology solutions for their collaboration, presentation and Educational need.
CEO and Publisher @ smesmedia.com
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