Top tips from our Seasoned Entrepreneurs to any Entrepreneur starting a business
JIM BREEN, PULSELEARNING
Focus on making Some Highly Important Things happen.
PATRICK HICKEY, ROTHCO
The overwhelming feeling that you should feel as you open your business is 'totally prepared'. It's not good enough to feel excited. Obsessing over your future customers needs is only the start.
1. Know the gap your filling in your customers world intimately.
2. Be really clear about your business purpose so that your team and your customers will know why they are with you.
3. Detail clearly what three things you must make happen to succeed in your first year and then draft a month by month action plan towards each.
Doing these things will not guarantee success but they will put you in a stronger position to succeed.
Ger O'Mahony, ActionPoint & Voxpro - Key attributes in starting up a business are self-belief, determination, a willingness to work hard and most important of all a willingness to plan and especially to document that plan.
Ask for help from experienced entrepreneurs …… it’s amazing but I have never come across a situation where that request for help has been ignored. We don’t ask for help often enough from those who have been through business start-ups in the past!!’
BILL LIAO, CO-FOUNDER CODERDOJO, SOSVENTURES
My snippet is get your story crisp and articulate what you do so anyone can grasp instantly the value your business brings also get a brilliant word to own as part of your brand and lead with it.
JOHNNY WALKER, HEALTH FOUNDER'S LESSONS:
1. It's hard
2....It gets harder
3. You can't do it on your own....BUDDY up....but ensure there is natural genuine ALIGNMENT...."Dick on the Brick".....never hire a "Cleanskin Corporate".....get someone who isn't afraid of being down and dirty in the trenches!
4. TRY and be OBJECTIVE.....and then raffle it!.....we by our very nature are NOT objective.....BUT BE DISCIPLINED!
5. Keep the fire in your belly.....when everyone else is dampening you with water.....
6. and when you meet someone with genuine INITIATIVE....POUR PETROL ON THEM!
7. Know when to DRAW THE LINE....and take a breathe....step back and regroup....Failure is NOT a HEALTHY STATE of mind.....never FEAR IT.....face it head on....but don't ever use it as an excuse for not having SUCCEEDED!
8. When they put the FIRE TO YOUR BELLY....STEP UP AND STEP FORWARD....and back yourself to the hilt!!!
9.....and when you are doing all of this .....try hard to NEVER to STOP LOVING YOUR WIFE AND KIDS who make the huge sacrifice to allow us to do what we do!