| I want to give you six points that will help guide you | | | | company. |
| and prepare you in paving the way to becoming an | | | | Point #3: Determine your goals |
| entrepreneur. | | | | Your company can be whatever you want it to be, |
| Point #1: It all starts with an idea. | | | | and for whatever purpose. You can make just |
| Many people think you need an MBA, PhD, or even a | | | | enough to pay for a new outfit a month and a trip |
| college degree to become a successful entrepreneur, | | | | to the spa, play for Johnny's and Susie's college |
| and you need to be knowledgeable in certain | | | | education, or become the next corporate giant. Your |
| business areas. Let's debunk that myth right away, it | | | | venture can be full-time, part-time, seasonal, day, |
| is true that those things help you, but they are not a | | | | night, etc. Your company's strategy, focus, and |
| prerequisite for definitive success. The last time I | | | | direction are determined by your goals, so whatever |
| checked you didn't need a degree from an accredited | | | | you decide upon simply stick to it. Success does not |
| university to come up with a brilliant concept, service, | | | | mean a certain annual revenue, or company size, or |
| or product. Ideas are the foundations of success. | | | | market share. These are only definitions of success if |
| You could know everything there is to know about | | | | that was the initial goal, meeting and/or exceeding |
| business, but if you have to offer, you have nothing | | | | your goals defines success. |
| to sell. If you have an idea to improve a product, | | | | Point #4: Take an inventory |
| offer a service that is needed or desired, or have a | | | | This portion has to do a little with marketing, finance, |
| ground-breaking idea that companies, governments, | | | | strategy, sales, etc in business but within the context |
| or individuals are willing to exchange money for then | | | | of who you know. You have a plethora of people |
| you have the foundations for a successful business | | | | who are potentially in your target market (those who |
| venture. | | | | you are in business for, whose needs you want to |
| Point #2: Leverage your current skill sets | | | | meet). You call them play groups, church groups, |
| As I said in Point #1, you don't need to necessarily | | | | fellow soccer moms, the PTA, etc. If your business is |
| have the business skills and knowledge that is taught | | | | a business that caters to other mom's you already |
| in business schools and programs to be successful, | | | | have a group of people you know to run your ideas |
| but it helps greatly to know someone who does, we'll | | | | by. You can sample your services, product, or can |
| talk about this a little later. First it time to look | | | | weigh in on your idea to see if it's feasible or not. |
| internally at your own hidden skills. We'll start with | | | | These same people have skill sets that may benefit |
| your networking skills, they're essential for business | | | | you, or know people who can help. Take an |
| because it always helps to know people. You have | | | | inventory of who you know, and of what |
| these skills already; you just have to identify them. | | | | organizations you belong to, you may find some |
| You meeting your neighbors, those you attend | | | | hidden gems that can be beneficial to your business |
| church with, your hairdresser, your child's teacher, | | | | idea. |
| etc. Your social skills are the beginning of networking, | | | | Point #5: Exploit technology to help you |
| which is essentially creating a roster of people you | | | | Technology doesn't have to become a burden, being |
| know who you may need to call upon. You have | | | | able to use it to your advantage can ease some |
| sales skills… yes you do. Getting your child to | | | | suffering and solve many problems. Most web |
| take their medicine, do their homework, do their | | | | hosting companies offer templates of websites that |
| chores, or to do anything they don't feel they need | | | | you download and change, not much more difficult |
| to do is selling, same concept, just a different | | | | then using a word processor. There are services you |
| purpose. You have management skills, keeping your | | | | can use for a small fee that can collect payments for |
| children in line, getting them off to school, managing | | | | you, and help run your business. If you have a child |
| the house, and all the errands and chores take | | | | over the age of 10, chances are they can set-up all |
| management skills, you've already got them. Another | | | | of your technology for you. Generally all you need is |
| skill is creativity, this cannot be taught. Coming up | | | | a computer and a broadband connection, they can do |
| with songs to sing to your children, games to play, | | | | the rest. Don't be afraid to use them, besides you've |
| and creative outlets for them all takes an innovator's | | | | cleaned up after them, stayed up all night with them, |
| and inventor's mind a key skill when running your own | | | | time for them to return the favor. |