This is the fire in your belly, total and utter belief that what you are doing will be a success. You are passionate about your business idea, and the impact it will have on those that use it.Passion will fuel you. As you travel through the peaks and troughs of the journey to create your business, the passion for your idea will pull you through
Next page
1. Passion
the tough times and keep you motivated.You will be working on this business, like it or not, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether or not you are physically sitting down and working, your thoughts will be occupied by your business. It becomes all consuming, so you better love what you do!
Next page
2. Determination
Tenacity and resilience are qualities related with determination. The determination to make their business a success, to persevere when it seems that luck is against them, to do whatever it takes to build the business.Many people may begin businesses but those who succeed are those that keep
Next page
2. Determination
persevering. It is not giving up at the first, third or even the tenth rejection but carrying on until you get what you want.You know that a ‘yes’ is key to the success of your business and realisation of your passion, so you don’t give up until you get it.Having utter conviction that your business deserves to be a success will drive your
Next page
2. Determination
determination. When it is your own business and you need to create a sustainable income and business entity you will push yourself further than when you were employed. Getting what you want for your business becomes all encompassing.
Next page
3. Optimism
Feeling confident that your business will work, that you will find a way through issues and always asking, “what if”, “could we do this?” Optimism is key in starting up a new business. You need to go into business expecting the best and even when the reality is different, find creative ways to overcome it and build on it.Optimistic business owners
Next page
3. Optimism
reflect on their successes instead of their failures. They also look for the benefit and opportunities in every situation, thinking of their business goal and how can this situation enhance it. They will see opportunities where others won’t.It’s worth remembering that whilst you can’t control what happens to you, you can control
Next page
3. Optimism
how you react to it. Optimism will enable you turn adversity into an opportunity and learn from it.
Next page
4. Customer love
Keeping your customers coming back for more is the easiest way to build your business. Putting them at the forefront of what you do is key to this. Thinking in your decisions, ‘what would the customers want?’ will ensure that you are building customer love.Direct contact with customers and choosing who they would
Next page
4. Customer love
work with was a common enjoyment from all of the women I spoke to. They loved being in control of who they interacted with and being directly involved with them.This feeds their desire to build strong relationships with their customers, and it is a natural part of their business strategy, not something enforced by adhering to metrics or service level agreements.
Next page
5. Courage
Opportunities are everywhere but you have to be fearless to grab them! Starting and running your own business will push and pull at every part of your comfort zone. You will have to put yourself out there in ways you haven’t imagined. There is no company brand to lean on anymore, no sales department to bring in
Next page
5. Courage
the business. It is now completely up to you.You need to be prepared to feel the fear when you start a business and get through it. If you are scared of something it just means that you’re being stretched out of what you have done before. Take a breath, consider if this is the best course of action for your business, and if so, then push
Next page
5. Courage
your fear to one side and proceed.
Next page
6. Flexibility
Staying close to your customers also means that you are that much more informed about their needs and how the market may be shifting. In many cases the business you start may be different to one that you are running a few years later. The need to be nimble, to be observant is an essential quality. Closer relationships to the customer also means
Next page
6. Flexibility
faster and more accurate feedback loop for the business. Adjustments can be made quickly to better service customers, new product development cycle times are reduced as you act directly on feedback and the resultant opportunity.
Next page
7. Hard Work
When you are launching your business start-up you are creating something out of nothing. You are establishing a brand in a competitive market place, creating a presence, building a sales pipeline, getting prospects to know, like and trust you and your offering.Starting up your own business can feel like you are working
Next page
7. Hard Work
harder than ever before. You may be working longer hours than you have for some time, and earning far less money as you start to become established. Yet, all the business owners I have spoken to accept this trade off to be their own boss, and to bring their idea to the world.