3 Questions Before Starting Out in Business
Many people rush into business for the wrong reasons. Running your own business can be very rewarding, but it ca also have drawbacks for the unwary. Here are questions you need to answer before making the commitment.
1. Are you prepared for the financial commitment of owning a business?
Buying your own business requires a serious financial investment. If you are the type who does not want risk, you might want to rethink owning your own business. Being personally responsible for the success of a business is not for the faint-hearted.
2. Are you looking for a specific type of business or are you open-minded enough to consider different opportunities?
Sometimes people start out looking for a specific type of business only to find something else they had never even thought of doing. Keep an open mind.
3. What do you really want? That question is at the foundation of all success.
Wanting it badly enough – that you will work through problem after problem and failure after failure, to get what you really want.
I have said it before and I will say it again – If you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are right!
It is best if you are open-minded, especially if you are a first-time buyer. There are all kinds of businesses available, and you do not want to limit your choices. Look for a business that will provide the income you need, (or has the ability to do so). Look for a business that you can realistically afford, one where the numbers add up. And, most importantly, a business that you can visualize yourself owning and operating.
Can you make the ‘leap of faith’ necessary to buy a business? A self-employed entrepreneur needs to focus on opportunity instead of security. This concept can be tough to come to grips with, especially if you have always worked for someone else. It is human nature – WE INSTINCTIVELY SEEK SECURITY. But, is there such a thing as security in the job world?
The days of giving your heart and soul to a big company are over – or at least they are for the thousands who lose their jobs every year through restructuring, downsizing, re-locations, takeovers etc.
In reality, real economic security is generated from within. It comes from knowing you are in control of your own destiny and having confidence in your own ability to create and capitalize on opportunities.
Many prospective business owners do their homework, do everything necessary to begin the purchase process, and then back out of the transaction. They just do not have the conviction to commit themselves or financial resources to business ownership. There is nothing wrong with that – not everyone is suited to running a business.
So, if you do not think you can part with your money and take over operating a business on your own, you may want to take a careful look at whether business ownership is really for you.