09 Jan Here’s what you should know about starting your own startup
For decades, entrepreneurs have been creating brands that we have all enjoyed.
But how does this happen? How do people come up with ideas that untimely consume our lives and take over the retail market? It’s pretty simple, they find solutions to problems. That is the key to entrepreneurial success. Let’s look at one of my favorite successful brands:
When Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak invented the Apple I computer, it started as a hobby. They eventually invented the Apple II which became the first personal computer with color graphics and a keyboard. They saw and problem, and then created a solution. That year, they had sales over 3 million dollars. Again, the key to the initial success of the Apple product was they solved a problem.
Most entrepreneurs are very creative people. Not only do they act differently, they think differently. They draw upon their personality traits to come up with ideas that can be either insane or genius, if not both. Even when their ideas are not an original thought, they tend to solve a problem.
Often times the problem was initially solved by someone else, and they improved upon it. The thing that most successful entrepreneurs have in common is they “JUST DO IT”. Just like the Nike slogan. There are so many people with great ideas, yet there are even more people that will give those people with great ideas, a reason that their idea will not work.
There will never be a shortage of people to discourage you from pursuing your dreams. You need to understand that most people don’t have the courage to start and stick with the ups and downs that come with being an entrepreneur or starting something of your own.
This is why there will always be employees and employers. So many people love the security of being able to show up and simply do a job. It rarely requires any planning, and usually requires the simple ability to follow basic instructions and do as you’re told.
Entrepreneurs sometimes learn as they go. Often times there are hard lessons of trial and error. You have to be determined and work hard. Most importantly, if you want to be a success, you can’t quit. It is for these reasons, that so many businesses do not make it.
Many people start a business and don’t have the financial or emotional support to keep it going during the difficult times. Most businesses will experience difficulties here and there. You can’t allow those times to discourage you. I love to look at the big picture.
The reason you started this business and birthed this baby. You saw a need and sought to fix a problem. The next step is to share your resolution with the world. In today’s world of social media. They have made sharing our business or product as easy as the click of a button.
This brings me to the next important point about being a successful entrepreneur. People have to know that you exist. What is the point of solving a problem that so many can benefit from if you are not able to share it with the people that need it most?
Marketing and advertising are so important to the business world that it is generally the largest business expense. Here are a few ways that you can market your business without having to pay a fortune. Embrace social media. There are so many social platforms out there that you can use to talk about who you are and what you are doing.
However, we can never forget about the value and importance of meeting people and talking about what you do and how you two can support each other. There are also the other ways to promote your business: television, radio, and print.
The key is to get your business in front of the world and show as many people as you can what it is that you do, or offer and how they benefit. The more people know about your product or services, the more sales you will have assumed that your product is good and that it does what you say it will do.
Now that you’ve got all of this, what can you do the maximize your opportunity for success? Always keep your big vision in sight. In business, things with inherently go wrong. Keeping the big vision insight will help you to stay on the right path despite the distractions and interruptions you may experience.
It may not be the course that you imagine, but the vision should always lead you back down the correct path. You will need the perseverance to keep moving forward. Sometimes things will get really challenging. You will need to commit yourself to move forward regardless of the discomfort and fear of failure.
Knowing that there will be more people that will encourage you to return to your 9 to 5 working for someone else than those that will encourage you to stay focused on your dream and keep working at it; you must learn to encourage and support yourself through your entrepreneurial endeavors.
Staying focused is going to be very difficult, but necessary. Entrepreneurs are always on. You are the brand, and whatever you are going through personally, you must keep the success of the brand in the forefront of your mind. One of the best ways to stay focused is to create a to-do list. I generally store my list in the notes section of my phone. This way it is always with me and I have the ability to keep it constantly updated.
You will find yourself bombarded with inbox messages and social media posts. You need to be mindful that not only will those constant notifications distract you, but somehow those notifications become others’ to-do list for you. if you aren’t careful, it can easily take priority over your own to do list.
On Sunday nights I plan out accomplishments I want to achieve during the week. Monday mornings, I prioritize what I plan to do during the days, and create time blocks for me to stay focused on those things. I also take the time to schedule breaks.
The mind can only be so great at extended periods of times. Breaks are a very important part of being able to rejuvenate your thoughts and to refocus.
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