Starting a Business Dont Let Fear Hold You Back - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Starting a Business Dont Let Fear Hold You Back - Introvert Whisperer Starting a Business: Dont Let Fear Hold You Back Do you dream of starting your own business? You’re not alone, as 589,000 new companies set up shop in 2017. So what’s stopping you from putting your ideas into practice? Read on to discover why there’s no need to fear the most common barriers to starting a business. All the good ideas have gone This not true. There are plenty of niches to be filled, so research the market, get to know your target audience and ask for honest positive feedback from people you trust. Once you’ve done this, there’s no reason why you can’t succeed. Darren Fell of Crunch Acounting agrees: “Don’t get caught up in waiting for the most amazing business idea in the world to come along. If you have a gut feeling or an idea, just go for it and tell as many people as possible what you’re doing. Often the real idea will come out of your original one in the process of trying to make it work.” While your business idea may need to be shaped and polished, it’s difficult to do this until you’ve put it to the test. According to Ritam Gandhi, founder of Studio Graphene: “Most business decisions are based on a hypothesis, and entrepreneurs can never be 100% sure that their assumptions and hypothesis are completely true.” Ritam advises first time business owners to start by taking small manageable steps and setting realistic milestones. This approach will create a solid foundation and reduce the chances of failure. I might fail In 2009, Katarina Skoberne was named one of the 1000 most influential British business people. Later that year, her third business collapsed and she was left hungry and virtually homeless. Initially too proud to ask for help, Katarina learned to accept her failure and now sees it as part of a learning curve: “The reason failure is valued in some cultures; Silicon Valley in particular, is pure business pragmatism. It is assumed that having bounced back from failure you’ll have learned resilience â€" and possibly some humility â€" and you won’t repeat your mistakes.” Risk is uncomfortable, but it’s also part of running a business, so many entrepreneurs encounter failure at some point. The key to coping is to reflect on what went wrong, learn from it and try to avoid failing for the same reason in the future. I don’t have the skills I need When Creative and Coffee blogger Sarah started her design business, she didn’t wait until she had completed her marketing diploma. Instead, she learned just enough to get going and learned the rest on the job. According to Sarah: “There is no better and faster way to learn then when you  have  to learn. Learn on the job. If you wait until you feel totally comfortable then you will  never  start.” When it comes to developing new skills, the internet is a fabulous resource. Search for a skill and Google will deliver a selection of in depth articles, videos and free mini courses designed to help you learn. To boost your business’s visibility, it’s also worth learning how to engage with your target community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as social media will drive traffic to your website. I don’t have enough money Some people start their business as a side hustle, however, it’s perfectly possible to get things going properly without a large amount of cash. The Talented Ladies Club is a well known online resource for mums who are passionate about their career. However, entrepreneurs Hannah and Kary had a very limited budget when they set out: “We had grand plans  for an ambitious website. But as two freelance mums, we didn’t have a huge pot of cash to invest in everything we needed to make it happen. In fact, we barely had anything at all.” To save money, the two friends found a developer they trusted, worked out what they afford to pay him and adjusted their plans to suit. They then taught themselves SEO and social media and learned how to grow their readership without advertising. As inexperienced entrepreneurs, Hannah and Kary made their share of mistakes. However, they made their business work by using the resources that they did have, including themselves. Starting a business is hard work, but if you do your research, set realistic goals and use resources wisely, success could be just around the corner. Author Bio: Anna Whitehouse writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in finding candidates their perfect  internship. To browse our graduate jobs, visit our website. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer