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Saturday Startup Advice: Starting A Business? Check Out 10 Nuggets Of Wisdom From Startup Veterans

 

by CareerBliss

 

Ready to take the leap and start your own business? You don’t have to go it alone! Thousands of people have gone before you – and they are eager to share what they have learned along the way.

 

We asked entrepreneurs to share their single most important piece of advice for people who are planning on starting a business. Here’s what they had to say:

 

1. Find Mentors

“Seek advice from those who have been there and done that. Experienced folks can help point you in the right direction when you’re not sure which way to go, which will be frequently.”

 

– Chuck Gordon, CEO and founder of self-storage startup SpareFoot

 

2. Embrace Marketing

“Remember from the very beginning that you aren’t in the business of doing whatever it is you are doing, but instead that you’re in the business of marketing that business. This will help you be much more successful and profitable.”

 

– Diane Conklin of Complete Marketing Systems.

 

3. Maintain Passion

“Never let problems suffocate your passion and the thrill of starting your own company. Embrace those mistakes you have made and problems that come up – because, trust me, they will continue happening – never neglect them, and learn from them. Always look forward to a brighter future.”

 

– Diego Lopez, CEO of Precise Touch

 

4. Simplicity

“Keep your product simple and solve one problem at a time.”

 

– Abdulla Hisham, cofounder of Foradian Technologies

 

 

5. Go All In

“When a Grecian army would land on enemy soil the first order given to the troops was to burn the ships. The only way out was victory or death. Burn your ships, go all in and focus on the battle.”

 

– Mike Hanson, founder of Craigstruck

 

6. Be Business Minded

“Think through the difference between being good at providing a product or service and going into business to provide that product or service. For instance, someone who’s great at teaching might open up a tutoring company. However, an entrepreneur has to be good at every facet of the business, from booking classroom space to balancing the books, to hiring employees. Being a great teacher doesn’t necessarily prepare you for all of the other things consonant with running a business.”

 

– Jodi Teti, owner of Blueprint LSAT Preparation

 

 

7. Culture of Change

“Don’t just embrace change; rather instill it into the fabric of your culture. An agile mindset allows your business to aggressively play offense and defense in the ever-changing business world.”

 

– John Hurley, cofounder of SmartFile

 

8. Have a Mission

“The single most important step to take before opening your doors is to write your own personal mission statement. Write it in words that light you up like a Christmas tree. When you get in touch with the ‘why’ of your business, the ‘how’ simply flows. If you absolutely cannot write this, then you may be starting this entity for the wrong reasons.”

 

– Nancy B. Irwin, psychotherapist

 

9. Have a Cushion

“Make sure you have a cushion three times as large as you think you need. If you expect to get the company profitable in 6 months, have 18 months of living costs in the bank.”

 

– Kevin Ohashi, founder of Review Signal

 

10. Be Ready to Modify Your Life

“We’ve met with a lot of entrepreneurs who have bad credit; make bad decisions based solely on needing cash to pay for their lifestyle; or who have completely unreasonable salary expectations. Leaving the life of a salaried employee and becoming an entrepreneur requires some important lifestyle modifications – many entrepreneurs don’t realize until it’s too late.”

 

– Haydee Caldero, founder of Dignitas

 

 


CareerBliss is an online career community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. Check out CareerBliss for company reviews, salary information and millions of job postings.

 

 

Photo Credits

M.O. | Complete Marketing Systems | Abdulla Hisham | Craigstruck | John Hurley | Kevin Ohashi | Dignitas | imagerymajestic | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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