How often have you thought about starting your own business only to have a doubt creep into your mind and keep you from taking any action? Well, here are two reasons you don’t have to worry about when you’re thinking of taking the leap and becoming an entrepreneur.
You think you can’t leave your job.
“Look for ways to supplement your income or save so you are able to do what it is that you love to do,” challenges Tiffini Gatlin, who launched her Atlanta-based concierge business, The Atlanta Go To Girl, with $5,000 of personal savings. Gatlin put her startup capital toward incorporating, PR, travel, and gas, among other things. And even after she left the corporate world – Gatlin worked for nearly seven years in the banking industry – as she got the business up and running, she sold insurance part-time. I know what you’re thinking. What spare time, right? But as Gatlin proves, if you really want something, you’ll do whatever it takes to get it. “I was able to get my revenue where it needed to be yet still sustain myself.”
You’re scared you will fail
There’s a definite correlation between failure and fear, and Gatlin encourages those looking to take the leap to at least try. Because even if the outcome isn’t what you anticipated, “you didn’t fail, you just didn’t get the results you expected,” Gatlin rationalizes. To help combat those fears, determine early on what type of leader you are. Do you have attributes that will attract followers? Do you make sound decisions? It’s all about self-discovery, and you often uncover these attributes in your job experiences (i.e., while working for others). A great boss sets expectations and understands the needs of his/her employees, customers and clients—a vital component in crafting the vision it takes to lead.
Tell us what you think. What are some other reasons people think they can’t start their own businesses?
Read more about entrepreneurship: