You've decided you want to start your own business, be an entrepeneur - question is, have you got what it takes? Here is some entrepreneur advice and tips for success that you may like to share in:
- First and foremost, you have to love what you're doing. To be an entrepreneur you must be passionate about your work. If you are at all half-hearted, you won't have the energy and drive you need when the going gets tough.
- To succeed long term you must have a plan - the success of an entrepreneur is not an overnight proposition. Study your business prospects, and develop best and worst case scenarios to get you through the first few years.
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Really study both yourself and your competition - what do you offer that makes you unique? Why should customers come to you, not the other guys?
- Be customer focussed - understand their needs and provide a quality service, to keep them coming back.
- Be a good manager - this means learning how to delegate, and understanding the value of good employees. If you can hire talented individuals, they can help you with the day to day tasks. Once you've found someone good, work to keep them. Listen to their ideas, and find ways they can share responsibility in the decision-making process.
- Be prepared for success. Many people spend so much time planning for potential problems (which is of course crucial), that they aren't ready for success. Be aware of the pitfalls of rapid growth - more investment needed, more staff, less time to be with customers - and have a plan to cope with it.
