Tired of working hard for someone else’s dream? Want to be your own boss? Why not make this the year you take your first steps as an entrepreneur? Contrary to what you may think, you don’t have to jettison your job or have stacks of cash to get started – just dip your toe in the entrepreneurial pool and test the water. You can also learn as you go and you don’t have to be an entrepreneurial expert before you launch, so why not give it a try? You might just surprise yourself.
As many as 62% of Americans aspire to start a business, according to research from Vistaprint, and likewise a record number of Brits also want to be their own boss, according to a separate study by FreeAgent. However, many do not make the first move as reality bites and fear sets in. With bills to pay and families to support, financial concerns and lack of confidence may make it seem completely unrealistic to entertain ideas of becoming an entrepreneur. However, it is possible to become your own boss, and the proverbial captain of your own ship, by starting a business while keeping a figurative ‘lifeboat’ on hand, in the shape of a salaried job, as backup in case you sink.
Start small
Some may say that if you are serious about starting a business you have to jump in feet first, dedicating all your time to your new enterprise. However, more and more people are finding success by starting small with a business side hustle, alongside a job, which can either stay as a nice little sideline, or grow into a business empire in time. This can be a wise way to avoid debt, get started and leave the ranks of the wantrepreneurs who do not try at all. However, it can be challenging to launch a business alongside your day job, so you will have to use your initiative and adopt inventive ways to make it work, such as getting your family involved in helping and using every spare minute, like lunch breaks and train-travel time, productively. Building a business step by step on the side may take a while, but few entrepreneurs have achieved overnight success, so the trick is to just keep going and never quit.
Keep costs low
In fact, if you yearn to be your own boss and unleash the entrepreneur within, the good news is that you don’t even have to invent the next big thing or have masses of money to get started. There are now numerous low-cost startup options for the enterprising individual looking to launch a lucrative business. Indeed, with a whole host of online options, such as selling items on eBay or letting out property via the Airbnb site, you can have a global customer base at your fingertips. However, perhaps one of the most flexible and appealing options, which is enjoying a real resurgence, is the opportunity to start your own direct selling business. This is a sector which has much to offer the modern budding entrepreneur, as it provides the chance to set up a business which you can run online, with little initial outlay and a very wide choice of products to sell. In addition, any reputable direct selling organisation you decide to join, which you can find through one of the direct selling associations that oversee the industry, such as the Direct Selling Association UK, will also provide training and support to help get your business off the ground.
Learn as you earn
Indeed, gaining the knowledge necessary to be successful as an entrepreneur is of primary importance, as lack of entrepreneurial know-how can be a major stumbling block to launching and making a business work. So, no matter what type of business you launch, the importance of gaining skills training and keeping your skillset up to date should never be underestimated, if you want to make a success of your venture and stay ahead of the competition. A sensible way to achieve this is to take online training courses, which can fit neatly around your hectic schedule. In fact, if you want to learn and earn at the same time, one organisation, LEO, really nurtures your inner entrepreneur by offering the chance to learn entrepreneurial skills via its online courses as well as providing an opportunity to earn by starting your own business selling its products and services – a unique way to learn as you earn.
Hard work but worth it
Of course, no one says it will be easy to run your own business, as it will take hard work if you are to succeed. However, if the lure of becoming your own boss, with the flexibility, freedom, financial benefits and fulfilment it can bring, is still too much to resist, you might be interested to know that 62% of small business owners polled in the Vistaprint research said that running their own business was even more satisfying than they thought it would be. And, if you still need more inspiration to unleash the entrepreneur within, remember that all those successful entrepreneurs you hear so much about were once in your shoes, and with effort and perseverance you too can excel.
So, don’t let another day pass by feeling unfulfilled in your work. If you yearn for the satisfaction running your own business can bring, don’t delay a moment longer. With so many practical options available, there really is no excuse not to give it a go now!
