If you’re eager to escape the rat race or simply want to make a mark on the world, you might be considering throwing your hat into the world of startups. Perhaps you already have a plan or idea for a business and are now eager to put it into action. It’s true that plenty of people these days are avoiding the job search completely and instead following the path of the entrepreneur. With a massive range of success stories from dot-com heroes like Amazon to well-known companies like Disney starting with one person’s dream, it’s not hard to understand why. But, before you jump in, consider some important steps to ensure success.
Research, Research, Research
Did I mention research? It’s important to look at every aspect of your business model and plan from the very beginning. Ultimately, you need to make sure that you are starting off on the right foot. You will need to explore your target market and make sure there actually is a need for the product or service that you are going to offer. You should be exploring the challenges that you are going to face when starting your business and working from the ground up. Books like The Art of the Start 2.0: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything can provide information and inspiration on some of these challenges and the hurdles you will need to overcome in order to succeed. I highly recommend you make the investment in reading these first.
Decide if Running a Business is Right for You
You do need to be aware that not everyone is suited to run a business. It does take a lot of determination, hard work and perseverance. If you read Ray Kroc: Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s, you will see just how difficult setting up a business can be even if you do have a clear plan. Kroc certainly faced a number of issues that many business owners will have to fight through to achieve success. Aside from this you also need to make sure that you have the right personality for building a business. It’s worth pointing out that many people who succeed with a business do it because they have a relentless passion for seeing their concept through to the finish line, no matter what. They just don’t take no for an answer. They have fun while pursuing their passion too, making the long hours and roadblocks more tolerable. Try reading Ben & Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop: How Two Real Guys Built a Business with a Social Conscience and a Sense of Humor to find out how the right personality can help you win at business.
Build a Plan that is Simple and Conservative
You also need to make sure that your plan is simple and easy to follow. Ultimately, it should be about getting from A to B to C, etc. You need to be well-organized so that you are not waiting around for things to happen. This requires the ability to be persistent, patient and multi-task. If you want to learn about how to build a simple path and a business model that is easy to follow try reading Sam Walton: Made in America.
Ask for Input and Feedback
Do make sure that you are constantly working to improve your business and ensure that you are continuously evolving the plan. It’s not enough to have the right plan in place, though. You need to make sure you listen to input and feedback from experts and those who can take your company to the next level. This will require some thick skin and adaptability. Most companies did not become successful overnight. Read The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon to understand that it took a lot of input and feedback to make it the company you know today.
Read an Inspiring Book
Did I mention to read a few books? Seriously, you’ll find a lot of inspiration and knowledge in the books I’ve mentioned. If you need a place to start, try Walt Disney: Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. You’ll be fascinated to learn about the origins of one man’s dream and how the company was run to become the successful conglomerate we now know so well.
