According to the 2015 Kaufman Index, 310 out of 100,000 adults started new businesses each month, so if you've been toying with the idea of starting a business, you are certainly not alone. It is an inspiring time to consider entrepreneurship. There are inspirations that follow us on a daily basis, Instagram has incredible opportunities to connect with communities that will empower you to follow your dreams.
As exciting as the idea of starting a business can be, there are a lot of things that can keep you from taking a leap. Entrepreneurship is a mindset, one that takes time to develop, and experience is almost always the best teacher. You have to be willing to go through the process, be willing to take risks and to step out of your comfort zone. Often times, so many people miss out on this life altering experience because of so many factors.
In my opinion, if you want to start a business, I say, go for it. None of the things that have held me back in the past make sense today.
Money
Money should never stop you from starting your business. Not because it is not a legitimate concern, but if you could invest in anything, shouldn't you be at the top of the list?
There are ways to start a business on a budget, being resourceful is at the top of that list. There are so many great resources available to you today, if you are willing to hustle. As a wife and mother, who started launched her first business after losing a job, in a one income household, I can understand why so many of us believe that money has to stop us.
Remember that you simply have to get started, the rest can come over time. With so many platforms available to offer you access to free tools that you can use for your business, do you really have an excuse?
Tools like Easy Companies and Legal Zoom allow you to get all the legal out of the way affordably, allowing you to focus on running the business and making money depending on where in the world you reside. These can come over time, however, and do not have to me immediate investments.
Thinking outside the box is another great way to overcome your money concerns.
In realistic terms ,$5,000 of your hard-earned money isn't going to pay for an entire restaurant fit out or top-of-the-line earthmoving machinery, but it may be enough to kickstart an online retail store or hole-in-the-wall cafe.
Instead of launching the restaurant you have been dreaming about, consider starting with a food truck, instead of launching your boutique, launch an online boutique. Not only are you able to start your business with less money, you are able to test your concept first. You can expand and grow the business after starting a little simpler, but you will never be able to expand something that you never start.
Fear of Failure
Failure is usually the root of fear for most would be business owners. No one wants to fail, and we invest too much of ourselves into our businesses.
The thing is, there is no such thing as a business cinderella story. No one makes it overnight, even the so-called overnight successes went through a process. You have to put something in, to get something in return. It takes a lot of work, and most people rarely find their groove the first time around. But most importantly, you have to change your point of view in order to truly understand what failure is.
The fear of failure is so captivating that we are often unable to see it for what it is, an opportunity to learn, improve, and thrive. From failure, I have learned what my weaknesses are, and how powerful simply starting can be for your self-confidence.
Learning is something that we will do continuously in every other part of our lives, why shouldn't business be the same. You cannot improve without making mistakes. The best way to understand the areas you need growth in is to struggle and sometimes even fall. We learn the same way as children, which allows us to grow into adults with common sense. Business sense is developed through trial and error. The more you try to avoid failure, the longer you will remain inactive and incapable of growth.
There are great Instagram communities, and free courses that can help to empower you, and challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.
Security
We all want and need it. To feel secure, and although security has a lot to do with money, it can often be about comfort. The need not to be inconvenienced. Who said you have to choose one or the other?
The great thing about being a business owner in 2016, is that we have so many options that allow us more flexibility. I know many business owners who started with a juggling act. It takes more out of you, but allows you to keep the security of your 9 to 5 while starting your business, and as the business grows, leaving your job to focus more there.
Freelancing is another great option for those who would like to have some sense of solid ground beneath them. I started as a freelancer, and have stayed with some of my clients, offering my services to this day as i continue to build my business. Freelancing provides an extra income, but gives me more flexibility with my time, allowing me to create a routine that works for me.
There is nothing easy about starting a business. Even once you are able to build to understand your gifts enough to build up the courage to take a leap, it is a challenge. You may fail a few times before finding your footing. But it is an adventure, that you can take the moment you realize that you are more than able, with the right resources, and community behind you.
Nancy Laws is the founder of SheMeets, ready to walk in your purpose fearlessly and boldly? Take her free email course, 14 Days to a Bolder, Fearless You!