The Key To Starting A Successful Small Business

The key to starting a successful small business (any kind of business) is YOU - and your beliefs and attitude.

Anyone can start a small business, it's easy - but very few can make it succeed.  Why is this?  Why is the success rate of business start-ups so dismal (well over 80% will fail)? 

The difference between failure and success is almost always YOU.

It takes a special kind of person to start and run a small business.  I don't care if it is a traditional off-line brick and mortar retail store or an on-line work from home business or even internet affiliate marketing, all require special characteristics and qualities in the person who is trying to get it started.

What are some of these qualities:

First (and probably most important) is your reason - your "Why".  If the reason why you are starting a business is not big and strong enough, it is unlikely to provide the drive you are going to need to stick with it long enough to get it up and running and get a system in place to keep it going.

Second is your belief in yourself, Your self-confidence, your ability to visualize what it will be like when you are successful, and ability to keep that image in mind (the goal in sight) as you go through all the steps necessary to get started.

Third (not often mentioned but very important) is your support group and the kind of people in your inner circle.  If you are married, the support of your spouse is critical, and your inner circle of friends and people you regularly associate with should be positive people, hopefully many of whom have successful businesses of their own.

Some other qualities?

You must have a dream - but not be just a dreamer.  Dreams don't become reality until you take action.  Don't kid yourself, nothing is going to happen until you make it happen.

You must be a master planner / organizer.  You are going to have to take that dream, or business idea, and get it down on paper - ultimately into a business plan and then develop a system so you can replicate success and keep it going.

You must be a decision maker.  You are going to have to make a lot of decisions under pressure. And, you've got to make the right decision most of the time.

You must be a people person.  You are going to be interacting with people throughout your business day.  If you don't have good people skills forget about going into business for yourself and go to work for someone who does.

So you see - it's all about YOU. 

Here's to you, and to your success!