Many of us sometimes toy with the idea of starting our own business. We have ideas about what it will be like, and you hear others talking about it. Like anything, there are always things you don't know until you're confronted with them. Are you toying with the idea and have no clue what to expect? We have listed 10 things here that you would like to know in advance.
Running a business is really like a rollercoaster that doesn't stop. You will experience lows and highs. Be prepared!
If you join network groups, your business will grow faster than if you are alone at your computer at home. Unless that's what you want of course.
It can get lonely, especially if you work from home or sit alone in an office. You will have to tackle each challenge alone. If you let others help you build your business, you won't feel like you're on your own.
You have a dream and you think you know exactly how to get there. It's great to have a business plan and strategy, but it's okay to change direction. In fact, that's the best you can do!
You may think that you can do your work in a relaxed way and that you still have a lot of time left for your hobbies and other activities, but if you want to be successful you will have to invest, and a 50-hour work week is more than normal.
People will always come up with what they believe to be wise advice, even if they haven't even been in your shoes. Nod and smile, and let them be delusional.
If you manage to achieve success soon after the start, you will have to be disciplined to keep your ego in check, and keep your vision from the start in mind. Focus on the long term and stay focused.
Often people compare their anticipated entrepreneurial journey with what they have heard or read from others, and assume that their experience will be similar. Your plan will not go the way you planned it, there is no straight line. Just like life, this too will turn out differently than expected.
While your journey won't be the same as another entrepreneur, you can learn a lot from it. Of both the successes and the failures.
Family should always come first. You are going to take risks and put a lot on the line. Never risk the loss of your family and close friends for your entrepreneurial adventure.
