The only way to secure your
financial future is to work for yourself.
At least that's what Scott Gerber,
author of Never
Get A Real Job. thinks.
"Now, more than ever, you need
to be entrepreneurial to be successful; you need to create a job to keep a
job," says Gerber.
"When you work for someone else
you're putting all your eggs into one basket. If you want to secure your
financial future regardless of the bad economy, you need to be in control of
your own life," he insists.
Ready to take a stab at
entrepreneurship?
1.
Get your ego in check
"You can't build a successful
business if you don't have your priorities straight and ego in check,"
says Gerber.
While entrepreneurs should be
confident, if you go overboard you'll get
in your own way.
2.
Keep your idea simple
"If your idea is not simple,
you're stupid," says Gerber. "Build a business that is nuts and bolts
practical and not complex."
"Create a simplified product or
service that sells X product to Y customer for Z profit," he says.
3.
Always be prepared for the worst
"Every decision should be
thought through; plan for the worst so you're not caught off guard if it
happens," says Gerber.
"Come up with three
alternatives for every decision so you've taken all outcomes into
consideration," he suggests.
4.
Be unoriginal
"Too many people think they
need to reinvent the wheel, but if they do, the wheel will run them over,"
says Gerber. "Instead, focus on bettering an idea that already
exists."
Use creativity to market an
unoriginal idea. "Think of the guys who started College
Hunks Hauling Junk," says Gerber. "They put a creative spin on a
pre-existing idea. At its core, it's just a junk removal business."
5.
Make sure your business isn't a bottomless pit
"Start a business that is
efficient with few monetary demands in the beginning," says Gerber.
For entrepreneurs will minimal
resources, Gerber says to start a business around the little cash
available.
"Your ideas, then, need to be focused on making
money. When I started out, I didn't have much at all. I just focused on
business ideas that could turn a profit quicker and didn't have many startup
costs."
6. Be frugal
If you want to start a
business, you need to change the way you spend money," says Gerber.
"Know the difference between a
frivolous expense and a necessity that can be bartered, bargained for, or
partnered on."
7.
Don't partner with just anyone
Don't jump into any old partnership.
Make sure you and the person are compatible.
"Your friends might seem like
the best partners, but they might end up slacking off and doing nothing.
Or someone who seems great might take you through the ringer later on,"
says Gerber.
"Make sure you evaluate what a partner can bring to the table
and make sure it's worth it."
8.
Toss the business plan
Gerber is a fan of one paragraph
startup plans. Anything longer is not necessary. "Stop thinking you
have to write a business plan for investors or dense dissertations. You don't
need a traditional plan to be a small business owner," Gerber says.
"Business planning isn't a
revenue-generating opportunity. Instead, get started on your business so you
can make money as soon as possible."
Gerber recommends writing one
paragraph in question and answer format in lieu of a 95-page plan that takes
six months to put together. "Don't use business plan software, don't
listen to experts -- they're nonsense. All you need to do is organize your
thoughts in a way that's good for your business."
9. Phones won't ring themselves
By this, Gerber means to constantly
be marketing your company in new, creative ways.
"Put yourself out into the
world. Always be selling yourself without being a used car salesman," he
says.
"Join groups, network regularly, and find different ways to
get your business in front of people."
10.
Be afraid
Be afraid to have never failed. In
other words, the idea of not trying should scare you.
"Be afraid to wake up 10, 20,
30 years from now and be pointing your finger at the TV saying, that was my
idea!" says Gerber. "What you should never be afraid
of is to never get a real job."
11.
Stop trying to validate your college degree
Most people dream of being their own
boss, setting their own hours, and having every minute of work be directly
beneficial. According to Gerber, whether you're just
graduating college or are already in the workforce, this dream is possible.
"College
kids should be starting businesses. They are at the point in their lives
where they can scale their livelihoods down, and they have extra time to put in
hard work," says Gerber.
"Generation Y: Stop listening
to your parents and thinking you need to validate your college degree with a
'real' job," he cautions. "Instead, build your own financial future;
use your time wisely now so it will pay dividends when you're older."
For people who already have
traditional jobs, it's not too late to start a personal endeavor. "Just
take a look around and see that [by working for someone else] you're putting
all eggs into one basket that you don't own or hold," says Gerber.
"If you want to secure your
financial future regardless of the bad economy, you need to be in control of
your own life. That doesn't mean that entrepreneurship is easy, but it allows
you to make your own destiny. Every hour of work can be for you -- that's
a major change from a 9-5 job."
Source : Business Insider
11 Ways To Quit Your Job And Be More Successful
Reviewed by neneahuma
on
Friday, July 20, 2012
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