These days, it isn’t ‘other’ people who start businesses. It isn’t people who just have a lot of money, who know people in high places, or are privileged somehow. With the resources available on the internet, and the sheer amount of avenues that a person can choose to go down, anybody can start a business. Anybody. Even you. That’s right – that dream business you think of from time to time and then ignore because you don’t think it’s possible for you? It totally is.
The internet has made it easier and possible for many people to start businesses. You have your dream for a reason. You owe it to yourself to try. Imagine yourself years from now, on your deathbed. You won’t regret trying, but you’ll regret never giving it a go. What could have been? You won’t know if you don’t go for it!
Convinced? Great! Just make sure you do the following 8 things before you start your dream business, as they will help you to hone and refine your idea so that it has more chance of becoming successful.
1: Come Up With Your Idea
You may already have an idea. If you don’t, don’t panic. You can come up with one. Write down anything you come up with in a notepad or on your phone and come back to it later to see which ideas seem the best. Remember, your idea should solve some kind of problem for the people you want to help.
2: Research The Market
Researching the market you want to work in is imperative. Who needs help? What problems do they face? What do they want? What don’t they want? Focusing on the market is far more important than focusing on the product or service to begin with.
3: Create a Plan
Having a plan will help to keep you focused, help you to see what steps you have to take, and can even help you to secure funding. In your plan, you need to include plenty of relevant information. Avoid making it too detailed, but do take your time. What suppliers will you work with? Write down a list. What products do you need to get started? If you start a transportation company, you might write things down like Gas Oil Fuelbox, a base, drivers, links to various ports, and more. Use a template to make this easier, but don’t rush. It should be grammatically correct and easy to read.
4: Break It Down Into Baby Steps
Breaking down your idea into baby steps will make it seem less overwhelming. What is one step you can take today?
5: Get Funding
There are numerous ways to get funding, including investors and crowd funding. Your plan can help you to get funding, so make sure it’s up to scratch and that you know your numbers.
6: Make Your Life Easier
You can use apps, software, freelancers, and more to make your life as a business owner far easier. You can also turn to Business IT Support to build your website and back end for you, to ensure your servers are up to scratch, and that you’re never paying more for your company’s online portal than you really need to.
7: Get A Mentor
A mentor can help you to look at things objectively, and help you to break out of a rut. Make sure they have experience in the industry you’re looking to start up in! In Australia, you can connect with mentors from a range of sectors using Mentor Walks. Mentor Walks is for women who want to make a difference, are passionate and ready to make their mark.
