Building a business from the ground up requires persistence
So, you want to start a business from scratch?
Many people have dreams and goals of owning their own business, and that’s great. To be a successful business owner you have to really want it. There will be ups and downs, roadblocks along the way, but it’s how you navigate issues that will set you apart from everyone else. You have to have passion, persistence and grit to make it in the industry. If you set your mind to something and really stick with it, you will go far.
Starting a new business is risky. Studies show that 20% of small businesses fail within the first two years. This number sounds a little scary, but don’t let that stop you from pursuing your dreams. Here are a few building blocks of a successful small business that you need to know.
Organization is key
The best way to ensure things are running as smoothly as possible is to stay organized. You might think you are an organized person, but it’s how you put that into practice that matters. Do you think you will remember important deadlines or things you need to get done off the top of your head? Right it down anyway. Being able to actually visualize all the things you need to get done will help keep you on track. It will also make your to-do list not so overwhelming because you can see what needs to get done and when. Having a jumble of things in your head will lead to errors that could have been avoided.
“Being organized is the best way to ensure success. If you are not, miscommunication will happen and things will go wrong, potentially costing you money and providing a poor experience for your customers,” says Corey Pearson, VP of Customer Success at Linda’s Electric Quilters.
Staying organized also shows that you really care about your success as a business, and the convenience of your customers. They don’t want to invest their time and money into a place that is not put together and makes things harder on them. Being organized technically and logistically is the ultimate key for success.
“Taking the time to lay things out, come up with a plan in advance and being proactive is the way to go. Your customers also need to be at the center of your mission. Their experience and the relationships you build with them are vital to keeping your business afloat. As a business owner, it is not always about you, your customers need to feel valued and taken care of.”
Keep chugging along
While being organized will help keep your business on the right track, it’s your mindset as an owner that will set the tone for your success. It’s just a fact that things will get a little rocky. Maybe a product shipment was wrong or delayed, maybe you are having high turnover rates, or maybe you are not sure what the next steps are. Those things are roadblocks, but you have to keep pushing forward to see a reward.
“To be a small business owner you have to have ambition and grit. You have to put in the hours and work hard to make sure your business is successful. Starting a business from the ground up is difficult, so you have to be prepared for anything that comes your way,” says Pearson.
Working hard should never stop. You have to keep prioritizing growth even when things get hard. This will not only help you reach your goals, but it will help you establish meaningful connections that could help further your business down the road.
Trust in yourself
Finally, you need to have confidence in your abilities as a business owner. If you are starting a business you probably have a decent enough knowledge that has led you to believe you could do it. Trust in your gut that you can pull it off. Having confidence in yourself will shine through to both your employees and your customers, giving them a sense of security. If you don’t believe in yourself then who will? A business leader needs to be fierce so that you can pave your own way to success.
