A step too far – is business start up for you?

Are you a would be business owner? Always planning, considering business ideas, developing adverts and designing the logo? Yet you haven’t actually given your notice in at work, taken the lease on a shop, or signed that contract for your first business enterprise yet.

It’s hardly surprising in the current economic situation that you are considering your options very carefully, re-planning, re-calculating and generally wondering if going it alone would suit you.

I have learnt that, for some people, their business idea really is only a dream. They have no intentions of ever starting it up, but the dream itself is enough to give them the escapism they crave.

You now need to decide, will you always be the dreamer, or do you want to be the boss? I believe that now is as good a time as any for most business start-ups. At least this way you would be in control of your destiny rather than waiting for the boss to hand you your redundancy package.

Firstly, what you need to do is start looking at the reasons why you want to be your own boss; and you can then concentrate on these reasons when doubts creep into your mind. Look at the benefits of being self-employed; you know there are downsides but concentrating on them won’t help you make this leap from employment to self-employment.

Secondly, review your skills. Concentrate on what you are good at, not potential failures. Most business owners don’t know everything; that’s why they read books, share with each other, employ staff or ‘buy in’ support when they need it.

Thirdly, know your market. Having a brilliant business idea and no market place is a common business error. Find your market, then identify its needs and offer them what they want.

Finally, if you want to run your own successful business you will need to take that decisive step at some point and, if you have done your research and planning, you will need to make the move at some point. Accept that only you will really know when the time is right, don’t ask family and friends as they are likely to answer how they feel about the idea and it’s not them starting a business its you.

Good luck on your enterprise journey.