This post is written to the future entrepreneurs out there. As much as I really love the concept of entrepreneurship, it’s my belief that not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. That said, I acknowledge the fact that most people are scared to start out on their own.
As a Business Coach and Strategist, I’ve come across several individuals looking to set up their own businesses but can’t just seem to muster up the courage to do so. I’ll attempt to outline two possible ‘fear factors’ for future entrepreneurs below.
- What if I fail?: Most of us wonder about many unforeseen circumstances and get really scared when we can’t find answers to most of these never ending questions, we fear the unknown so much that we find it easier not to start at all. To all those scared of business failure, my question to you is WHAT IF YOU SUCCEED? What if your business thrives? What if most of all these unfortunate circumstances cooked up in your mind never happens? I believe we could conquer the fear of failure, by believing and working towards success.
- Who would be interested in my products and services?: Arguably, this is a justified question to ask oneself before embarking on a business endeavor but it becomes a problem when this question consumes you till you are too scared to begin. Question I usually ask start-up clients are; what problem does your product or service solve? How unique are these products and services? How well can you deliver these products and services? A really good way of conquering the above mentioned fear factor is to begin by answering these questions.
Let’s quickly go over some great advantages of starting your own business:
- Job Security: You are your own boss, which means you have the liberty to do things your own way and no one gets to fire you.
- Creativity: Being your own boss allows for proper expression of your creative juices.
- Financial Independence: Although start-ups aren’t easy they can be very profitable with proper business planning.
- Job Creation: It’s really satisfying to know you are helping this world become a better place by employing others.
Though this list is just the tip of the iceberg, it’s important to note that this is no quid pro quo, letting go of your fear allows for you to benefit from the joys of owning your own business but this only work with proper business planning and implementation.
I agree starting your own business can be a daunting task and lots of businesses pack up in their first year of commencement but as Dale Carnegie wrote; “If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” and one of my favourites by Stacey London, a well-known Fashion Consultant;“Don’t let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love.”
