No Surprise

I recently attended a small business workshop. It was excellent, it covered all the aspects of
starting and running a small business. It filled in a few gaps for me. Now that I said, surely, you can almost hear the but coming in my next sentence.

This blog was started on the premise that the most important elements of starting a small business is the fortitude to make decisions and continue to go forward. It was not based on  having a lump sum of money or borrowing, to set-up a business. If you do have money this is a good thing, but I don't believe the people who read this blog have money to start a small business. As one participant mentioned  that you gotta hustle. I agree, get one job, one client, provide an excellent product or service and repeat that cycle. My position has always been that you will get little help from anyone to create and manage a start-up. For some time I could not understand the reason for this reality.

It has become clear to me, business in this country has a very powerful influence on government.
If small business was set up that you and I could be successful, at some point, people would collaborate and change some of these crazy laws in this country.

In reality you need to have some funds or you will have to borrow to go into business. In my opinion
these are not options. Let's just think about the first option, who has money set aside to start a business? Secondly who wants to create another debt in this economic environment. The numbers of first time successful small business owners are dismal. Ask yourself if so many other things in this country can be tweaked, why can't the small business paradigm be tweaked? It is a valid question.

So, it was no surprise that instead of believing I would get some information to excite me about
developing a small business. It is made very clear that starting a business is a buzz word, more than a reality for you and me.

Commitment and The Environment

These two words are intangibles for the foundations of every starting entrepreneur. The need to be committed can never be underrated. Then secondly you must have a understanding of the climate or business environment that you want to work in.

Commitment to me is having long range goals, along with short term goals. Commitment is working on your business if you have kids or you are in school you may be working full or part-time. Hopefully, not all this is happening at the same time, but some people can and have done it. Personally I think it takes a physical toll on the body and mind, which you can never ever get back. Commitment is being on unemployment and even disability and your mind, pen and paper are still working on ideas. I say this because I feel often we get these stories that success just happens during some magical alignment in time and space. Surely, this has happened for some people, but the journey involves loads of planning and work before an idea can be created.

When I speak of the environment this refers to the particular business and the overall economy.
For example just today, I learned that even if the dollar fails in the United States that there is a international solution. SDR's could be created by the IMF. This shines a different light on how a entrepreneur can conduct business in the future. I have gone a little ahead of myself, but my point is
in order for you to go forward, you must be prepared for any economic storm. So you must know the climate in retail, technology are where ever you are starting your business.