You’re at the same job, doing the same thing day in and day out. You’re bored and think you have so much more to offer. But are you ready?
We know so many people think that owning your own business would be so much easier than what they are currently doing. You can set your own hours, take vacations when you want, not miss another family event, EVER and on and on. Sure maybe after MANY years of starting your own business it can get to this, but it takes time. Everything is a crawl, walk, run approach or it may not sustain.
When you first open your own business, there are so many things to think about such as, how many employees am I going to need? Where can I find GOOD employees, what about payroll? How can I cover payroll at first until money starts flowing in? where do I get my business license? Do I have enough saved up to support myself and or family? What does it really take to be an entrepreneur? Here are a few other things to consider about yourself:
- Are you financially prepared? What if the business you want to start does not take off right away? All startups have tons of costs associated with them. From getting business cards, getting your trade name, website, business license, all these items have costs associated with them. You might not want to quit your day job until you have a savings set up that’s there as a safety zone. No one wants to fail, especially right out of the gate because they were not prepared and ready for all the costs.
- Are you passionate about the business you are opening? If you are thinking of opening a business because you saw someone else do it and they got rich quick, think again. You have to have a PASSION and LOVE for your business, or you may find out real fast that your old job was easier. In the beginning there are long hours, lots of ups and downs and lots of learning curves. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.
- Have you researched your competition and locations available. You may want to open a restaurant. Have you spoken to any vendors that would be willing to work with you as a start up? Where are you going to get your supplies? Are there any favorable locations available for you to open the business? What is your competition doing right? What are they doing wrong that you can do better at?
- Do you get flustered easy? You have to understand that you will not make everyone happy. But how you respond to unhappy customers is what can make or break you. If you can’t keep calm under pressure, you may want to think again about owning your own business. With social media the way it is today, people can be so tough sitting behind their computers complaining, but don’t have the nerve to talk to you or a manager while the situation unfolds. You may be 100% in the right but there are people who will complain no matter what.
- Are you a go getter? Can you push and push and push? Can you take criticism? If you can’t, stop right there!
In no way shape or form are we trying to scare you away from owning your own business. It can be the greatest thing ever. But go into it realistically. Build collaborations. Learn to Network. You can’t rely 100% on your friends and family. Yes, you want them there for moral support and hope they will be by your side to help you in this journey, but they can not carry you. The hours you put in will get shorter, the amount of time you have to spend running your business will lessen, but it all takes time. We have been doing web design for almost 7 years now and wouldn’t change it for a thing! It’s been a tough ride in sections, but we are not turning back now. If you need any advice, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Of course we are her to help with your website as well, but we are happy to guide you however we can!
Thank you for reading and we look forward to any questions you may have. Feel free to comment below!