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Having your own business is fantastic! There are many benefits and rewards to running your own business including controlling your schedule, doing what you love, maybe working from home, etc. But just having a passion to own your own business isn't enough to guarantee success. Before you get started consider the following seven points, and then proceed with wild abandon!
1) If you can, continue to work another job while preparing your own dynasty. Having an additional income at the beginning of your new happy path will allow you the freedom of not stressing over the ticking clock and potentially dwindling resources. If money isn't an issue, hey, go for it like a man/woman on fire.
2) Get your focus on. A business plan is nice, as it gives you a path; however staying focused is the numero uno requirement of getting to where you want to go. If investing a ton of time into a business plan helps you process, go for it! If investing a ton of time into a business plan is more of a distraction do a different type of strategic plan. If you are a new business a business plans 'projections' are pure fiction, so create and implement a plan that is going to help you stay focused and forget what you 'feel' you should create.
3) Along the lines of staying focused, do not go out and buy a bunch of stuff that will just distract you. Same goes for office space. Until you know your specifics and have a focused timeline limit the distractions.
4) Know yourself...I am talking honest assessment. None of us are perfect so what we are looking for here is to know ourselves well enough to work with and around what we know may be self-imposed stumbling blocks, etc.
5) Know your family/friends...If you have a vision and in your gut know you are on the right path stay on it. Family and friends have the propensity to err on the side of caution or sometimes criticism when it comes to something they are not familiar with. Accept it is from a place of love, or jealousy or wherever and do not let it deter you.
6) Find the like minded...Find those who think like you and are on the path or down the path you want to go. There is tremendous value in tapping into the experience of someone who is ahead of you. Trust me, they will be flattered you asked.
7) Take action...Proceed with action rather than just chatter. It is up to you to act. Act on your own behalf as it will be you who experiences the outcome. Do not expect others to carry you. This is your deal and your experience. That is not to say don't ask for help (see #6). Just don't overextend your stay when tapping into others.
There are a ton of great ideas out there. Most of them never pass 'Go' and never collect their $200 though. So, above all else, remember all the planning and talking, consulting and confabbing in the world will not get you where you want to go. Plan, and then act.
Denise Dahl, MPA is the owner of Epiphany Planning & Development. She has over two decades of working with entities ranging from individuals to company's like Campbell's. Denise is a Coach, Consultant and Adjunct Professor. She focuses on consulting and coaching within the realm of action oriented growth and leadership. More information is available at http://www.epiphanyplanning.com/. Or visit her blog http://the-happy-path.com/.