The differences between a successful business and one that fails within the first six months are many and may look very insignificant in the eyes of an amateur. When trying to invest some of your hard-earned money to create a side hassle that will increase your income, it is easy to make mistakes that will lead you to lose all the money for nothing. To better help you avoid some of these pitfalls, it is important that you know them in the first place. The following are some of the mistakes that new entrepreneurs tend to make.
Going in Without a Plan
Everything in life requires some plan or some forethought, at least. This helps in determining the scope of what you want to do; it’s like the blueprint that guides you as you make that transition from an employee into an entrepreneur. You have to take your time and go over the core parts of a business plan, taking out the unnecessary sections until you are left with something solid and executable. Once you are satisfied with how that looks, go ahead and put the rest into motion.
Ignoring Competitors
Unless you are in the business of selling human meat, then any business idea you come up with will have someone else already doing it and that makes them your competitor, even contraband businesses have serious competition, and you will be setting yourself up for failure if you assume that you are the sole provider of a particular product or service. Even in the event that you don’t see any direct competitor within a 100-mile radius, approach the business like you are dealing with fierce competition. This will keep you on your toes and ready because somewhere down the line, someone will come up with the same idea as you, and they will deal you serious damage if you ignore them even for a second.
Hiring the Wrong People
Finding the right workers for your business could be the difference between success and failure. You may end up with very good people who will even inject new ideas into the enterprise, transforming it into a successful one, and then there are those that can drive the business straight into the ground within the first six months. You have to vet the people you hire really all to ensure that you have the right people who can do what you need. Do background checks, demand to see their referrals, and even check on their former places of work to find more on them. You may have the best business idea around, but it may never take off if you entrust it to the wrong workers.
Not Setting Goals
Goals may be intangible ideas in the head but you should never underestimate the power they have on your motivation. You must have something you wish to achieve when you choose to go the entrepreneurial route. You can either write it down or simply keep it in your heart. The bottom line is that you must have a goal that you are working towards; otherwise, you will just be playing house because you have the time and money to waste. Goals are what give you the hunger to go for more and expand. Another thing you also have to keep in mind is the attainability of those goals, don’t set yourself something that can never be achieved; go with things that are within your range. Start small, then go big later on.
Sidestepping Marketing
The cardinal rule of any enterprise is that you need marketing for the word to go out. Without marketing, you have no business. Never assume just because you built something, people will automatically start streaming in on their own. Nobody walks through any door without knowing what awaits them on the other side. You must come up with a solid marketing plan that will help amplify your business and spread your brand among the people. Once they have figured out what you are all about, they will start coming in slowly, spreading the word around if they are happy with the services and products offered.
Self Doubt
It is natural to have a fear of failure. A business is as unpredictable as the weather; you can do everything right and still end up with nothing to show of it. However, you should never let self-doubt and that fear of failure cripple you to the point where you can’t make any progress with the plans you have. Confidence is very important to an entrepreneur; you have to will everything into existence then do your part to ensure that the conditions are right for their fulfillment. Having a fighting spirit will take you far because there will come times in the first 12 months of your business where you will feel like you can\’t make it through. It takes perseverance to survive that.
Conclusion
Getting the entrepreneurial bug can be an exciting experience but getting down to actually turning it into reality is another matter. However, that doesn’t mean that it cannot be done. You just have to have it in you to bring all your resources together and take that bold step forward. You have to be aware that failure is also an option, and that doesn’t mean it’s the end for you. Nobody has ever built an empire from the first attempt.
