By Brenda Weathers Hargroves
Three important criteria must be flushed out before determining what type of business to start. Consider something that 1) you enjoy doing 2) allows you to be yourself and 3) develops your talents or interests.
These are important factors because your efforts will, at best, be mediocre if you force yourself to do something you do not have a real or vested interest in or you don’t particularly like doing. Face it – if any of these scenarios are the case, you might as well work for someone else and not take the risks involved in entrepreneurship.
1. The best place to start is to assess what you know about yourself. So, let’s begin with the basics. What are some of the things you enjoy doing? What are your skills and talents? Do you prefer interacting with people, or would you rather work alone? Are you more comfortable doing physical work, or does creativity float your boat? Have you built a network of established relationships in any particular area?
Perhaps you find cars fascinating. You could consider opening an auto parts store. If you are a person who enjoys cleaning, think about starting a housekeeping service. Possibly your hobby is making creative accessories. The idea of opening a crafts store might be of interest. Or you may want to consider manufacturing and selling your wares through a catalog service or on the Internet. Do you like to drive? You could look into ways to develop a courier or limousine service. Cooking is your interest? How about a catering business? What about matchmaking? Consider a dating service or a temp agency.
The entrepreneurial spirit is the result of a desire to maintain some control over your life and to have things progress in a certain fashion. When considering a possible business venture, choose something that allows you to be yourself. Consulting may be a likely choice if you are organized and like to see a beginning, middle and an end. If you have an outgoing personality, you might choose some form of sales or marketing. If you prefer to work alone, you should choose something that does not require a great deal of interaction with other people.
2. Make time to nurture a hobby or participate in a leisure activity. Secure a part-time job, which, along with adding to your earnings, may teach you another skill. Consider going back to school or taking enrichment courses.
This is where I went a little overboard. I turned experimentation into my job. Since I have occasionally questioned some of my employment decisions, I have no doubt that my family members and close friends also wondered what I was contemplating at times. I laugh when I think of my brother-in-law, in particular, who has openly voiced his inability to understand my choices. He actually once told me, “You do dumb things.”
That’s OK because over the years I have acquired many skills through experimentation. I remember once applying for employment and the interviewer mentioned that he didn’t have an appropriate opening at the time, but wanted to meet me because I had done so many different things. Although I never worked for him, he became a good friend and supporter.
Conclusion
Truthfully, if you can perform a task people either don’t want to do or can’t efficiently do for themselves, you likely have a possibility for a small business venture. And if you are lucky enough to pursue your passion, success is even more likely to follow. Once you’ve honestly answered the criteria addressed above, the choice becomes a little easier. You can then move on to getting your business off the ground.
Do you see where I’m going here? Don’t contort yourself to be other than what meets your comfort level. Instead let your businesses fit your personality. When approaching entrepreneurship in this manner you will have the added advantage of working under conditions of your choice that meet your personal requirements. A motivation quote that often comes to mind states, “Vision is the art of seeing the invisible.” To see what may not yet be visible, assess your personal needs and then get those creative juices flowing.
My next post examines the question – “What Is The Right Life For You?” See you soon!
Updated October 2021
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