Small Business Propel: Getting Clear 3.1- About You

Why do you want to have your own business?

There are people that start businesses for all sorts of reasons ranging from the ego satisfaction of feeling like “I am independent”, “I want to be rich” to “I can’t find a job”, “I am sick of corporate America”, and on and on.

There are so many great things about having your own business (I should know since I have one) but I believe that there is a time, a place, and a mind set for it to amount to more than a dream.

I am convinced that the mind set of success requires way more than just great skill at what you do and the ability to work hard.  Equally important is to be brutally honest with yourself and to be crystal clear about yourself.

What I propose is that you take inventory of the skills, tasks, processes, likes, dislikes, and even contemplate how you will define success or failure in this business.

For now, I will propose some questions that you may want to explore to help you gain clarity.  In the upcoming articles I will expand some of these issues to help you drill down into subjects that require more detail thought.

So let’s start here:

·        How long can you afford to make no or small amounts of money?

·        Do you have money set aside for the initial investment that the business will require in terms of equipment, marketing, manpower, legal, insurance, supplies, etc.?

·        What specific tasks will you do in this company?

·        What specific tasks that you will do are the ones you like and want to do?

·        What specific tasks that you will do are the ones you dislike and want to not do?

·        Do you have a process for getting you to do what you don’t want to do? (In other words… preventing you from procrastination, avoidance, making excuses, and simply not getting those done)

·        Are you willing to be a sales person and if not, are you planning on hiring one?

·        In general, are you self-motivated or do you need structure and deadlines to get things done?

By now, you may be thinking that this is negative stuff or potentially a turn off from having your own business but I think that this level of honesty and clarity is in fact, what can help you plan on taking action early on the areas that could drive you out of business.  There are plenty of tools, ideas, training, and hired help with just about any topic that you need to deal with; and this can be of great value and allow you to thrive.

You can only empower yourself to get things done that needs to get done when you have clear on your mind what it will take to make it happen.

By +Maria Ryan 

 

 

 

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