It’s always been a dream of mine to launch my own business. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and even pursued a college degree in entrepreneurial studies. It’s been a life-long dream, but I knew from the beginning it would never be easy.
This year I’m launching several new businesses (and I’m so excited to share those with you soon!). I wouldn’t say I’m an expert by any means (lots of hard work, sweat, and even tears), but I will say I’ve learned a few things along this journey that I think can be helpful for you too!
A quote my husband says often is, “Don’t settle for what you want now instead of what you want most.” When dreaming up a business idea and planning out the steps to accomplish it, it can be easy to settle along the way. You’re going to encounter many people who may not believe in you or your idea. You’re going to encounter many obstacles along the way. You might also encounter some fun new ideas that distract you from your bigger dream too! What I learned (which is much easier said than done) is to be flexible, but never settle.
Define the WHAT. A big part of launching my own business was defining the what. One of the things I was taught was in order to become an entrepreneur you have to figure out a problem to solve. What problem does your product or service solve for other people? If you can define the problem, and how your business can help someone overcome that problem, then you possibly have a successful idea!
Define your WHY. Defining your why is so important for you personally, to keep you moving forward when problems arise, but also important for your business to exceed over the competition. Simon Sinek said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Thinking through why your business exists and why you do what you do will help motivate you as well as motivate your future customers too!
Stay Determined. Tim often teases that part of the reason I’ve been able to accomplish my goal of becoming an entrepreneur is because I’m stubborn (which I am!). But I’m stubborn for the good things. I was determined to launch the business I wanted, to create a product that would solve a problem, and do all I could to make it a successful business. It takes determination to overcome the many obstacles that are bound to come your way. So don’t let the obstacles get you down or discourage you from taking that next step!
Set realistic goals. When I first decided on my business idea, I sat down to create a plan. Looking at the bigger picture is great, but can also be overwhelming. With a lot of wise counsel, I broke out my plan into realistic steps I could take in order to get to my goal of launching my own business. My advice is to set realistic goals, take small steps to get to your goals, and hire your weakness! Chances are you will encounter obstacles, but if you believe in what you’re doing, you will find a way. I believe in you, so make a plan, set some goals, stick to those goals, and DREAM BIG!
