A lot of the time, people encourage you to follow your dreams while you’re young – and it makes perfect sense. When you’re young you’re a lot less likely to have responsibilities than you are later on in life, whether that be being tied to a mortgage or having children. This gives you the freedom to completely throw yourself into whatever it is that you may be passionate about with full force. That being said, if you’re a young entrepreneur with limited experience in running or starting a business, it can be extremely difficult to know where to start.
However even if you are starting off green, that’s not an excuse not to pursue your dreams and ideas. With a little advice, a lot of drive, and a nudge in the right direction, you could be flying in no time.
Know Your Passion.
If you’re passionate about what it is that you do, then it’s proven that you’re actually far more likely to succeed. Therefore knowing what you’re passionate about can seriously help you in deciding what your entrepreneurial ideas might be. Whether you love fitness, or you’re a massive music enthusiast, be sure to choose something you’re passionate about to base your business upon. If your ideas are based on something you either love or are wildly enthusiastic about, the ideas are likely to be more creative and yourself a lot more motivated.
Plus, even if it’s just something you’re passionate about yet you have a lot to learn about it, you’re a lot more likely to enjoy learning more about it. If you’ve heard the expression “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” – believe it! Not literally, because of course you’ll have to put in a lot of hard work as an aspiring entrepreneur trying to make a go of things, but if you truly love your work, does it really feel like work? That’s something worth thinking about.
Know the Market You’re Aiming Towards.
Without knowing who your target audience and furthermore who your market is, you simply cannot be successful when it comes to starting your own business. If you want to be as successful as you possibly can, particularly in the early days, you’ll need to thoroughly research the market it is that you’re entering, and furthermore the potential clientele that market inhabits. However as well as clientele, you have to consider the competition too.
Whatever market it is you’re aiming towards, there will be companies who are already well established that are in the same sector. Although they do undoubtedly have an advantage over new companies, in that they may already have a client base and a well thought-of reputation, there are some benefits to being new to the game. One of these is that by having the competition there, you can learn from them. Less successful companies can help you to learn exactly what it is you don’t want to do, and successful companies can act as your inspiration, and you can take notes from their ideas and try and improve them further.
Once you’ve done your research, you’ll be able to clearly see where it is the gap in the market is – and this is where you come in! For example, if you saw that there was an abundance of options for people selling their home in the average time period, but there were minimal options for selling your home fast, that’s where you could create something unique in order to cater to those who need this service.
Expand Your Knowledge.
Of course, having ideas and passions and knowing the market is an important starting point. But without furthering your business knowledge, how will you know how to put these plans into action? Why not consider furthering your knowledge by attending a business seminar, or taking a short and flexible course, for example, an open university programme? Of course you’ll want something flexible enough that you can put your plans into action too, but if you haven’t already consider taking a part time university course in order to get some qualifications, and learn as you go too. Remember that knowledge is power.
Make a Plan.
Last but certainly not least, have a business plan. A lot of people give themselves a “five year plan” in which they strategize what they’re going to do, how they’re going to do it and when it’s going to be done by. It’s hard to stick to this exactly, as life takes us in so many unexpected directions, however by making a plan, you’ll always have something to strive towards. Keep your passion alive, remain motivated, and never stop learning.
