Many people long for the day they can quit their day job and become their own boss. Whether the goal is to turn a passion into a full-time business or discover a new way to disrupt the market, entrepreneurship can offer flexibility and fulfillment. Due to advances in technology, more start-up funding and support, today, you don’t need a degree in business to get started.
While these opportunities provide an opening for potential entrepreneurs, failing to move forward with a strategic plan can prove to be risky. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, here are 4 lessons to keep in mind.
Stay disciplined
When you are starting out on your journey to entrepreneurship, you want to be able to focus on the things you are interested in and less time on the things you are not. However, in order to start and grow a business, you need to be disciplined all around, in every capacity — and that will allow you the best chance to succeed. This may mean getting up at 5 am to start your day or sacrificing time with family in order to meet important deadlines. No one ever said entrepreneurship was easy.
Take a leap of faith
Like with any major accomplishments in life, sometimes taking a leap of faith is all you need to get started.
Toronto Businessman John Fielding became an entrepreneur in the 1908s after playing professional hockey for several years. As the founder of Array Marketing, John knew he wanted to hang up his skates and pursue a career in business, so he decided to take a leap of faith.
“Array Marketing was started by my brother Bill and I after deciding we wanted to create something of our own. We were young entrepreneurs with big dreams and determination. We started our business small, focusing on advertising specialties in Scarborough, Ontario where we promoted small items ranging from coffee mugs to key chains,” says John Fielding.
After years of hard work, the business grew and thanks to that leap of faith, John Fielding became an entrepreneurial success story.
Make connections
Entrepreneur Danny Harris has established himself as an innovator; however, his success did not happen overnight.
“I’ve always had an interest in starting a business and I started several when I was younger.” Explaining that he needed more resources Harris goes on to say, “It’s an expensive endeavor.”
A company from Europe took notice of Harris’ work and flew him to Germany. His business idea went from just that, an idea, to a fully funded endeavor. This goes to show that no matter what industry you are in, making connections is crucial to success.
Find a partner
The old adage ‘there’s no I in team’ can be applied to lessons in entrepreneurship. Some of the most successful companies in the world began as a partnership. This makes sense because it is likely not possible for one person to encompass all of the necessary skills and knowledge to run a business. That’s why you may want to consider finding a group of people that can help you create your vision. By surrounding yourself with well-rounded, intelligent people, you can ensure that your company will have a variety of strengths rather than just what you have to offer. Starting your own company with little or no experience can be quite intimidating, but with the right tools you can achieve your dreams of becoming your own boss.
