What to keep in Mind to start small business

Neeraj Goel
May 10, 2016
2 min read

You can be your own boss, keep your own schedule, and answer to nobody but yourself – no wonder so many people idealize being a small business owner.

To determine whether starting a small business is right for you, it’s essential to know what will be required of you to start and maintain your endeavor:

Time:

One of the most important skills you need when balancing a day job with running a small side business is good time management skills.

Money:

Starting a business requires cash (or credit) up front, and buying an existing business often requires a large lump sum payment. Unfortunately, many people want to start a business precisely because they don’t have any money.

Patience:

Drive and ambition aren’t enough – sometimes the early bird gets the worm, and other times slow and steady wins the race. Be patient, and don’t fall prey to these common misconceptions:

Don’t Expect to Turn a Profit Immediately.
Expect Mistakes.
Realize That You Can’t Make Everyone Happy.

Research:

An idea doesn’t need to be unique to be profitable – as long as there’s sufficient demand for your product. In fact, a unique idea won’t necessarily translate into big sales. There’s often a reason nobody sells a product like yours, and that reason may be that nobody wants one.

Business Plan:

Creating a basic business plan can be tedious, but it is very important, especially if you seek financial backing from investors or a bank. It’s also a great litmus test of sorts to see if you’re really interested in running a business – if you can’t take the time to write a basic business plan, even if it’s just a single page, you probably are not prepared to undertake the running of a real business.