You have to have a dream to start your own business.
There are man ways you got here include you got laid off, you want to start a second career in a completely different field, your kids are leaving home, or your kids have grown where you have more time to yourself and you want to be financially productive but not necessarily go work for someone else.
But now you are staring at a wide open world and you don’t quite know where to start.
Here are three steps to get you started.
1. Find your purpose
You are going to need a Big why. Starting your own business is going to involve a lot of work (even if you love it), some doubt, and some fear. If you have written down your “why”, your purpose, you will have more courage and strength to get through the tough spots.
2. Pick your idea
You will need some sort of idea. There are tons out there. Your idea doesn’t have to be brand spanking new. In fact, you are going to want to look at markets that already have a lot of customers. Pick a market, an idea, and put your personal spin on it all. Brainstorm with trusted friends. In that way, your idea will be unique, but you will be able to find clients more easily.
3. Sell to your first client
You will need your first client, some one who actually pays your for your product or service. This is a way to try out your idea in a low risk way. The key is to get out there and for someone to buy from you. With that first sale, you will gain a ton of experience. You will learn what the client likes, which features are valuable, which features are a waste of money to provide, and how to better market your product/service. None of those items can be imagined. You have to experience them.
Once you have your first client, you then can decide if you want to scrap the idea or start scaling your operation. You might find out that to provide your product/service you will have to work hours that don’t work with your lifestyle. You might find out that although you like the product/service you provide, it is not what you want to focus on for the next 5 to 10 years or more as a business. You might find out that you need to build your team quickly because you have hit a sweet spot between the market and your passion and you love the business even more.
The only way to know is to get out there and try it.
