Taking yourself out of your comfort zone and dipping your feet into the unpredictable whirlpool of entrepreneurship can be daunting, most people think about this all their lives and never get the courage to take this leap. If you have taken the proverbial leap off the cliff, good for you, if you are still considering taking a stab at your idea, testing if your business venture will pan out, I have a few tips I’ve learnt on my journey so far.
Focus Is Key
I read somewhere that at a dinner party, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet were asked what was the most important tool for success in life, both of them jointly replied with one word; FOCUS. You cannot undermine the need to focus on your business and build up its capacity. Majority of first-time entrepreneurs feel the urge to jump at every opportunity that comes their way. Avoid getting distracted, juggling multiple businesses will stretch you thin and decrease your efficiency and success. Start one new business at a time, run it well, not 20 businesses that are run poorly.
Know Your Stuff
It very easy to join a band-wagon business, rushing to start a venture because a friend told you they made a lot of money doing this business isn’t advisable. Don’t start a business because it is the in-thing or rumours have it that it offers large profit margins. Do what you love, find a market gap in an industry you’re interested in and fulfil that need. Building a business around your interests and strengths will give a better chance at succeeding. It’s not enough to create a profitable business, its imperative that you are happy running your business. You won’t be very successful at your business if you’re not passionate about it.
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a 15 to 30 second description of your business, always be ready to give a short, informative narration of what your business does. From coincidental encounters with investors to run-ins with potential customers, be ready to give a convincing 30-second speech on what your business does. State your vision, service and benefits in a clear and concise manner. Adjust your pitch to suit your audience, the simpler it is, the better.
Find Mentors
Nobody knows everything and that’s fine, it’s okay not to have the answers for everything. Seek mentors and advisors that will ease your entrepreneurial journey and help you become a better entrepreneur and leader. Ensure you find successful, intelligent people who share your interests and goals, they must see the value in working with you for the long-term.
Keep It Lean
CUT YOUR COSTS! Keep your spending as low as possible. Mark Cuban says he lived like a college student for most of the start of his business, because extravagant spending at the start of your business can cripple your business before it even gets off the ground. Separate your personal and business accounts, triple-check every expense and manage your cash flow effectively.
Learn On Your Way Up
The only way to learn how to run a business is by running one, no degree, book or business plan can fully prepare you for entrepreneurship. There is no perfect way to run a business. However, don’t jump into a business without adequately planning and thinking it through, also don’t wait months and years to execute. One way to become a successful entrepreneur is to innovate, another way is to be ready to be a firefighter – you get better at entrepreneurship when you get tested under fire. Never forget to learn from your mistakes, never repeat your mistakes twice.
Get Ready For Debtors
This is something no one warns you about, especially doing business in Nigeria. Customers will owe you, it’s not usually because they cannot afford to pay, I honestly can’t figure out why people owe, even big corporations are guilty of this. From day 1, I would advise you put systems in place to avoid customers owing you money, for example, you can insist on a deposit that would at least cover your expenses, before your sell your product or service. If your business is the type that would require customers to pay before service is rendered, you are in such a good position. Nonetheless, setup systems that would minimise the impact debtors would have on your business, because a lot of businesses have gone under, simply because customers refused to pay up.
Stay Healthy
I don’t mean to sound like your mother, but as an entrepreneur, you need to recognise that your health is a major asset. You would be more productive if you take better care of yourself, eat healthy, work out, sleep well. Entrepreneurship is not a 9-5 profession, it’s a lifestyle. Don’t make excuses, working till you’re exhausted will lead to a burnout, a burnout means you have to take valuable time off work to recover.
Don’t Believe Your Hype
If you can’t walk the walk, don’t talk the talk. It’s okay to blow your trumpet, but avoid exaggerating your abilities and telling tall tales about your service offerings. Market your product passionately, but in good taste. Let your business sell itself. To put it concisely, shut up and work.
Learn From Failure
I don’t know why people are afraid of failing, there is more to learn from failure than success. Don’t let your ego ruin you, always stay truthful to yourself and know when its time to quit. If your business idea doesn’t succeed, identify your mistakes and learn from them. Reflect on what you would have done differently. Use these hard-learned lessons to improve yourself and your future entrepreneurial ventures.
Failure will never overtake you if your determination to succeed is strong enough. Success is the result of hard work, learning from failure, focus, and persistence.