Becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business is the key to becoming independent and financially free. It's that simple, isn't it? Well, unfortunately, a lot of new entrepreneurs still quit their day jobs thinking that their new business will get off the ground the next day. The truth is, becoming an entrepreneur requires a lot of commitment and energy.
When you invest enough time and energy, however, financial freedom is really just a few steps away. To get there in a timely manner, here are the top three secrets every new entrepreneur needs to know.
Start with One Problem
One of the challenges of running your own business is the array of problems you will have to deal with on a daily basis. These problems can range from vendor issues to dealing with clients' complaints or handling a marketing campaign; regardless of the type of business you are starting, you will have problems to deal with.
Trying to solve all of these problems at once is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a business owner. Instead of dividing your energy to several issues - and ending up not being able to solve any problem at all - it is always best to find a solution to one problem. Once one is tackled, move on to the next one you can solve.
This step-by-step approach is the best to use in most situations. As you solve more problems, you will gain additional energy and motivation to continue with the next.
Never Stop Learning
No matter how good you are at what you do, you should never stop learning. All successful entrepreneurs learn from someone at one point or another. Some of them are still actively learning new things from other business owners, industry leaders and various other sources. I've even come across business owners who decided to go back to school just to master the basics of their industries.
When I first started my own business, I learned a lot from other successful business owners. Reading posts on Sam Ovens' Twitter page and going through books by top investors and business owners is now a part of my daily routine. There are plenty of skills, strategies and even inspiration to be harvested from these leading entrepreneurs.
The internet is also your friend when it comes to learning new things. Need to run an SEO campaign for your business website? You can learn about the basics online before working with experienced SEO experts on a campaign. The same approach can be applied to other parts of the business too.
Never Get Comfortable
Take a closer look at failed startups and you will find one common problem: comfort. A lot of business owners go for a new, more luxurious office, better facilities and even a salary bump the moment their businesses start to show signs of growth; even worse, some do these things upon getting an investment from other parties.
All of these comforting things will make you lazy. The moment you start to feel comfortable, you'll innovate less, pay less attention to customers and competitors and you'll start losing your edge. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, becoming a successful entrepreneur means investing time and energy; so, invest your time and energy.
The more you invest, the longer you bootstrap and stay lean, the sweeter the success will feel when you finally get there. It is not about looking successful; it is about being successful. Now that you know these three secrets, you can avoid making the same mistakes many have made over the years and get to the point you are aiming for much faster than you think. Best of luck!