| No one goes into business lightly. I once heard that it | | | | should and shouldn't do. |
| takes an average of two years from the time a | | | | Step III: You finally begin to tentatively dip your toes in |
| person starts to thinks about starting a business | | | | one at a time - all the while hoping that you have |
| venture to the time they actually do it. Isn't that | | | | picked the right opportunity, but constantly worrying |
| incredible? | | | | that you haven't. |
| I think one of the main reasons for that would be that | | | | Recognize the dance now? Well, that is precisely why |
| they are looking for that guarantee - some sort of | | | | a significant percentage of all new businesses fail in |
| assurance that they won't be risking their livelihood in | | | | their first three years. Everyone does this same dance, |
| vain, or end up losing everything they've worked so | | | | so that it seems like only those who are 'lucky' or have |
| hard for on a venture that may not be successful. In | | | | a large financial reserve to keep them afloat for those |
| other words, they view it as a gamble. | | | | initial 'perilous' years of business end up successful. |
| As a result, most people end up doing the same | | | | That isn't the case at all. The problem with this well |
| dance. It's a familiar dance and you may actually | | | | worn routine is that it forces you to put the cart before |
| recognize some of the moves. Maybe you're already | | | | the horse. It makes you start from a place of fear |
| an expert at it? Well, let's find out - pick your starting | | | | instead of confidence and, as a business coach, a big |
| point from the following: | | | | part of my job has been to help entrepreneurs unlearn |
| 1. You're dissatisfied with your job, or no longer excited | | | | this dance. |
| by it. You want to work for yourself, but stop short of | | | | When you work for someone else it can be almost |
| quitting because you're not sure what to do? | | | | acceptable to hate your job and yet do it for the |
| 2. Your lifestyle is making your job more and more | | | | money. Ever done that? However, when the business |
| impossible - maybe you're newly married and don't | | | | is yours, that's a luxury that's no longer available to you, |
| want to work long hours away from home; you have | | | | because if you go in with that attitude, all you're doing |
| young children and no childcare; you recently went | | | | is acquiring for yourself a very expensive job - and |
| through a life transition, i.e. a divorce, retirement, | | | | one you cannot easily escape from! |
| bereavement, relocation or you just want something | | | | So then how should you start out in business, I hear |
| else, a change in direction, more freedom, etc. | | | | you ask? Well, start by asking yourself a few simple |
| 3. Your company is downsizing and you're so worried | | | | questions: What do you enjoy doing? What do you do |
| you may lose your job, you're stressing out about it. | | | | effortlessly? Is there anything you would quite happily |
| 4. You have lost your job and think this may be a | | | | do for free? What do you like? What do you hate? |
| great opportunity to start your own business. | | | | What do you want to change? |
| And so the dance begins. Step I: You start to seriously | | | | That's a good place to begin. Be brutally honest with |
| consider self employment. You may start by viewing a | | | | yourself in answering these questions and you'll begin |
| few online presentations about work-from-home | | | | to have an idea of what type of business you'll enjoy. |
| opportunities; download brochures of MLM businesses; | | | | You want to enjoy your own business, don't you? |
| attend exhibitions that showcase franchising | | | | That's a huge part of why people start their own |
| opportunities; talk to friends, etc. | | | | businesses. If you do the above, you will be starting on |
| Step II: You weigh your options, usually based on the | | | | the right path and with the right help could be on a fast |
| financial investments required upfront. You wrestle with | | | | track to financial success. |
| yourself about whether or not to sign up. What you | | | | |