Starting Up and Keeping Going
So you had that fantastic business idea, the one that's
going to be wildly successful and make you a fortune - and
even better, you actually did something about it and started
your own business. Good for you! Not everyone gets even
that far. Most people sit and day dream about what they
might do if only ....
"The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will
move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize
their vision" - W. Clement Stone
But you got over the biggest hurdle, you took that first
step and you actually created something.
Well done - you already did more than most. But once you've
got started and you've maybe lost that first flush of
enthusiasm with the day to day details of running your
business how do you keep going?
There are several things to look at here:
1. What are you really good at and what do you enjoy doing?
Make two lists - one of all the jobs you like and/or are
good at, and one of all the jobs you hate and/or really
don't do very well. Take the second list and have a look at
what you might outsource or automate. Do you really love
doing those accounts or would your time be better spent in
forward planning while your accountant does the sums? Must
you personally reply to every last enquiry or could you
create a FAQ which you can post on your website and refer
people to by autoresponder? Obviously in the early stages
of your business you might find you don't have the money to
pay someone to do the jobs you hate but you've got to think
about what is best for you and your business long term. Be
creative - could you swap skills to get the help you need?
The more routine jobs you can outsource or automate the more
time you have to plan and to market your business, and to
think about even more ways to bring in all that lovely cash
- not to mention you get to spend more of your time doing
the things you really enjoy doing.
2. Why are you doing this? You really need to be motivated
to start a business and keep it going and the best way to do
this is to know what all that effort is for. What really
moves you to get up in the morning and do what you need to
do even when you don't really feel like it? Write your
reasons down and stick them on your wall. Even better find
pictures of that house in the country, the Lamborghini or
that 'must have' holiday and put them where you can see them
every day.
3. How do you deal with those inevitable bumps in the road?
Not everything you do will be perfect - sometimes things
you've tried will be a total disaster - but it's the way you
react to problems that matters. If you curl up in a ball
and give up at the first sign of failure you'd better not be
in business. "Patience and perseverance have a magical
effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles
vanish." - John Quincy Adams. It's all about attitude.
4. Have a plan and stick to it as far as possible but
always be prepared to be flexible and open minded.
Sometimes the most unexpected opportunities come up and you
need to be ready to seize them with both hands - as Joe
Vitale says 'Money likes speed'.
5. Get yourself a mentor - learn from someone who has done
it before. Having someone to bounce ideas off and someone
who can encourage you when things get tough is invaluable.
And most importantly, never let anyone put you down and
never be afraid of failure:
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds
could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust
and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and
comes short again and again; who knows the great
enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a
worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph
of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails at least
fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor
defeat" - Theodore Roosevelt.
Don't ever forget that!
Megan Mart, Webmaster and Publisher.
http://www.accessbizinfo.com.
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