New entrepreneurs have much in common. No battle scars. No failures. They haven’t pulled themselves up by their bootstraps yet. The truth is, failure is not a rule for success.
Look at Zuckerberg. He looks twelve. And, he’s not the “big personality” type, either. What’s he got? A great idea.
Yep, that’s one of the requirements for success. When you’re starting out, they’ll be plenty of nay-sayers.
The last person who should stop believing in you is you. Yep, that is another rule. You’ll find it difficult to find those who’ll see you as a real player.
As with any new enterprise, it starts with you. Here are some things you can do to overcome the noob persona and begin making a name for yourself.
Be Humble
You have a great idea. Your research is over. You can’t learn any more about the subject.
Wrong. No matter your business, whether it’s a coffee house or SEO marketing, there’s always more to learn.
There are nuances about your customers. There are up and comers who are creating their niche like you. Be ready to learn every day from observation and other business owners.
The best lessons you’ll get is from your customers. Listen twice as much as you talk. And do this forever.
When in Doubt, Throw it Out
Professional business owners the world over regret some decisions. We are a fallible lot, we human beings.
JCPenney is going the way of many brick and mortars, but they had a hand in greasing the slide. Their ardent coupon fans began crying foul. Loud.
When JC Penney began offering store-wide discounts instead, changes began. Standing firm between life-long couponers and their booty sent sales spiraling down.
Today, they are still closing doors across the US. Sticking to a lousy idea suits no one, ever. Be flexible enough to understand commitment and hard work does not make the idea any better.
Walk away.
Network with Pros
Even if your venture is unique, you can still find pros in the field. Vendors, college professors, tech wizards, and other owners have a wealth of knowledge.
This group can help tweak your ideas and put you in touch with others who can help. Never forget to help in return where you can.
You will find life-long friends and supporters here. Their word-of-mouth campaign on your behalf can make enormous strides for you. Treat them like family. Start the right way with New Era Print Solution business cards.
Read the Room
There are specific ways we all come to expect. Nurses wear scrubs. A good chef greets diners.
Our favorite companies send us emails with sage advice.
Do likewise. If your business attire is out of synch, you’ll stand out more for this reason than being the new kid on the block.
If you are lucky, someone will take you aside and tell you. Figuring it out on your own is faster.
Substance Over Flash
If we were all honest, we’d prefer to pull up to a restaurant in a beautiful car than an Uber. And, pay for lunch with a black Amex rather than a sweaty pile of ones. But, there’s a limit.
For young entrepreneurs, no one has this expectation of you. We want you to earn your success rather than flash it around before you’re there.
Work part-time at an office to get experience. Shadowing a professional speaks more volumes than a rented limo ride.
Name Your Passion
Your new business venture can be thrilling, disappointing, and maddening. And, all this can happen before noon on any given day. You cannot control everything even if you try.
What gets anyone through this is their passion for what they’re doing. Your enthusiasm, above all else, will show nay-sayers you are serious. It’s also what will propel you through the worst of days.
And, it will help close the sale with prospective customers. Your passion may be your product, your customers, or your desire to be successful.
Whatever it may be, own it. When you understand what’s driving you, everything makes more sense. The logic it takes to decide on good and bad ideas will have more clarity, too.
The Art of Self-Reflection for a New Entrepreneur
There’s a distinct line between reflection on a bad business move and beating yourself up over it. We all make mistakes in business and our personal lives.
Of course, we want to learn from them and not dwell on it. But, we have to forgive ourselves, too. A good question to ask yourself is this: would you forgive someone else for it?
If the answer is yes, then let yourself off the hook. Then you can reflect on “next time”. Many successful leaders chide themselves more for what they didn’t do.
Ask Bill Gates about ignoring search engines in the 90’s. Or, whisper “google” to him and watch the reaction.
Put Your Roots where You Can Grow
There’s nothing like experience to whittle down the new kid smell. We judge by action over words. Like restaurant owners who work in the kitchen.
Or, SAAS start-ups who attend code camp. Each earns their stripes. Learning by doing gives everyone a leg-up on knowledge and the competition.
For many, putting themselves way out of their comfort zone gives them more confidence.
Achievement in learning something new works to ignite passion, too.
Employees and customers have more faith in leaders who can wear more than one hat. The benefit of earning trust from others spans all age groups.
Build a Rock Star Team
If you think you can do it all alone, you’re making a mistake that ends businesses. You must have people around you who’ll speak the truth you may not want to hear.
They should help you, promote your business, and share your vision. Young entrepreneurs who surround themselves with people of like character are building success.
Skills are teachable, but no one can create a person’s values. Your team should ensure quality and expect nothing less from each other. Including you.
Money and Success
For new entrepreneurs, finding the capital you need is not going to happen overnight. Most pros will tell you it will take longer than you think.
Nothing is ever a safe bet. The best plan is a well-thought-out one. Once you know it’s a long road to money and success, plan for that.
It’s easy to believe overnight success awaits. It doesn’t. Securing capital is an area where knowledge from others works.
Those who have gone before you will shorten your learning curve.
Deliver More Than Your Customers Expect
As a young business owner, your customers may expect less from you than those with experience. They will be on the lookout for mistakes.
If there’s something to complain about, they’ll jump on it. The adage of under-promising and over deliver are more crucial than ever.
A project on time, under budget, exceeding all expectations gives you a leap to success.
Organic, word of mouth praise puts you ahead of your competitors.
Free Stuff Does Not Always Work
Many long-time business owners look back on their beginning with ambivalence. They can see their mistakes.
To get some buzz going, giving away products or services for free seems logical. Savvy owners say there are limits. The simple truth about “free” is that customers do not respect freebies as much as those for which they pay.
It is vital to look at the cost benefit when weighing out your gimme’s. If your free stuff satisfies the need, there’s no reason for a customer to pay for more.
A free massage will not entice a pleased customer to spend on another. A 5-minute free massage will.
Learn to Say No
For some, this is a hard lesson. When you are starting out, you incline to try everything.
But, you will end up spending time and energy on some things to which you can say no. There are people around you who do not share your vision. And, their advice may not be excellent.
Say no. If you want to be a millionaire, surround yourself with them. Ideas that come from those who have no skin in the business owner game can be empty. Learn from the best, say no to the rest.
Last Few Thoughts
The gap between a new entrepreneur and an old salt is not as big as you think. There are more similarities than differences.
Learning every day, changing when necessary, and a passion to succeed are just a few.
Surround yourself with them.
Need more ideas and help? We’ve got a plethora of wisdom on our blog just for you.
