Starting a business is not unlike running the Comrades Ultra Marathon. You don’t just wake up one morning and decide to run it.
Do your homework – Research, research, research. Study your competitors, your target market, and your product intently. Leave no room for error. Character traits – discipline, dedication, creativity, curiosity, resilience, confidence, self-reliance, humility, focus, open-mindedness. Out of these ten traits, how many are part of your strengths?Once you’ve passed the feasibility test in the evaluation stage, and you’re determined to go ahead, you need to start building or fast-track your entrepreneurial activities:
Network – Develop a professional network of like-minded people. Surround yourself with experts and thought leaders in your field. Besides benefiting from the knowledge and experience of a diverse group of people, it opens you up to new opportunities. When the time comes to hand in that letter of resignation, you’ll be confident you’re doing the right thing.
Work hard, work smart – Yes, working hard matters, unless you’re going to be satisfied with mediocrity – but do it with maximum efficiency. Figure out what the process and tools are to work smarter.