Owning a small business is the new American Dream. A recent national survey found that nearly 60% of Americans listed owning a business as high on their wish list of things to accomplish.
But how many of those same folks are going to see their dream happen this year, or next, or the next . . .?
If you have this same dream of creating and owning a small business, there's a very high probability that no one in your lifetime is going to step up and hand you your own business. If you're waiting for the right opportunity to come knocking, I doubt that you'll recognize it.
You see, that opportunity is standing in front of you right now, staring you right in the face.
You can get started in your spare time, for a few hundred dollars or less, and grow your business over the coming years until it reaches the size that you want. You don't have to quit your day job, commit your life savings, or even talk to the local banker.
Internet business is still a hot topic, there are all kinds of help and resources available, and there is still plenty of room in every niche for a new business to carve out a place to operate profitably.
And may I remind you . . . none of us are getting any younger. We have only so many days appointed to us to live our lives to the fullest. Every day you wait to get going is another day passed that you've spent living life outside your dream.
I've been around entrepreneurs all my working life and I'll tell you this: I don't remember one of them, not a single one, that said "I wish I had waited longer to start my business."
In every single conversation, it was always, "If I had it (starting a business) to do over again, I wouldn't have waited so long."
Why do so many of us have difficulty getting started? I blame it on fear.
Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of losing some of what we now have, fear of what others will think or say, even fear of succeeding!
But you know what? Starting a business is really nothing to be fearful of. The kind of business start-up I'm talking about is a very inexpensive, it can be done by anyone willing to learn, you won't have to give up anything but a little of your time, and others don't have to know about what you're doing.
This is your own private, solo, run-it-from-anywhere small business. You don't have to rely on other people, get permission from your boss, or even tell your brother Buck what you're doing.
You see, years ago the business start-up process was much more risky than it is today. To be successful, the entrepreneur had to commit or pledge major time and resources to the dream. Often he put his life savings or his full time job or both on the line to achieve his dream.
You can still play that game if you want, but there is no reason in my mind that you have to make that kind of sacrifice. Why not begin small, learn as you go, and as your business develops you can pump your profits back into it to stimulate growth?
If all the risk or downside is removed from starting a business, I ask you again, "What's holding you back from your business dream?"
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Post#217 |
