4 Tips to Help You Start a Successful Business

KEY POINTS
If you want a side business, don’t put all your time and money into it. It is good to start small and following it until it takes you higher.
Starting a business isn’t as hard as people tend it to be. Of course, you tend to think it is because you’ve held on to it until the idea became a worldwide craze. Worse still, you think that the process involves staying up all night building the next big step.
A business doesn’t have to start with a bang. Most people tend to think that before they do, they will spend lots of time on it, quit their jobs, spend less time with family, and take a huge financial and personal risk to follow a dream that may be futile.
In other words, people start projecting failure before they even think of trying. Although they say fear of the unknown is the greatest type of fear, thinking that your business idea could burden you with large amounts of debts isn’t the way to go in business.
Majority of the conglomerates and large enterprises you know today started as side businesses. The owners didn’t quit their jobs but put their professional skills into starting a business.
In fact, some didn’t expect the business to pay even the cheapest of bills but they relentlessly stuck to their dreams.
The best advice is to start small. This way, even when you come face to face with failure, you have less to lose. Now, how do you start a side business? Here are the tips.
Make It Adaptable
If your idea is to start a food business, for instance, perhaps you should consider a small catering business as opposed to a restaurant that will take full-time commitment.
ALSO READ: Water Shortage Still a Menace in Kenya
Doing the food business over the weekend, or starting a mobile food truck could is the best way to start a side business. Your provision of small services at your own convenience will gradually grow into something big. Such are the opportunities to start out with.
Formal Marketing Might or Might Not Work
The reasons for this in a side business are simple. For one, you could waste a lot of money and still gain less than the expenses, or the outcome will be so much business that will be overwhelming to you – which is both a good thing and curse.
You may not have enough time to manage the orders and it could end up wearing you out. If you don’t want to quit your job and you are only limiting yourself to a side business, a word-of-mouth form of business promotion is more appropriate. In fact, the business will be free of debts.
Keep them Distinguished
Since starting out has some uncertainty to it, you want to keep your day job, the main source of income that pays all the bills, insurance, education, and the like. Do not mix the two businesses.
The one that plays a major role in your life deserves utmost concentration even if it bores you to death. Just wait and when you get back home, concentrate on the side business.
Expect Difficulties
Nobody said starting a side business is going to be easy. It will do you good to put into perspective all your expectations. If you are banking on a part-time business and is expecting to beat your competitions – who perhaps have dedicated theirs to full-time – you should know that the first few years will be unrealistic.
Finding fulfillment doesn’t begin big. For starters, concentrate on enjoying what you do and make some money while you are at it, at least until you are sure you need to take the business to the next level.
The bottom line is, if you want a side business, don’t put all your time and money into it. It is good to start small and following it until it takes you higher.
About Soko Directory Team
Soko Directory is a Financial and Markets digital portal that tracks brands, listed firms on the NSE, SMEs and trend setters in the markets eco-system.Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/SokoDirectory and on Twitter: twitter.com/SokoDirectory
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