You often hear it being underscored that we should all start businesses. This majorly comes from the premise of day jobs not being enough for financial freedom. Starting a business is well and good but it is not for everyone. That might seem crude but it is the harsh truth. Not everyone is wired to start a business. That is why it is vital to assess oneself to see whether or not you are wired for it. Today’s discussion will provide you with a checklist of how to assess yourself. The following are the kind of people who should not start a business:
You Hate Having To Manage People
Yes, riding solo is possible in business. That is limited though. If you are to make it big in business you will have to scale. Scaling cannot be possible without having to hire people. Even when riding solo you are not completely solo. There are people you will have to deal with or manage e.g. suppliers, authorities, customers, and so on. Even when you do not hire, you might have to outsource. One way or another you will have to deal with people. If you are not prepared to handle this responsibility then the business is not for you. Managing people is inevitable in business.
You Feel Heavily-Burdened By Having To Make Decisions
In general personal life, you are faced with decisions. This happens daily and virtually every moment. Lives do differ and some can get away with not carefully considering their decisions. Decisions though always have a way of coming back to haunt you. In business, the dynamics are a bit different; more demanding actually. The implications of any decision you make can be rewarding or disastrous.
Running a business is like playing chess. Every move needs to be well-informed and well-calculated. For some, this can be an unbearable demand. In business, you daily have to make crucial decisions. Making those decisions usually requires you to see ahead. If this is not for you and you suck at decision-making, starting a business is not for you.
You Are Too Attached To Getting A Monthly Salary
Business is not about quick riches. The reality of business is that you may take time to start making profits. You can go for months or some years without any profits coming. Imagine for instance you start a layers egg production business. Then you start off with the fertilized eggs. That will mean that you will have to wait till the chicks grow to point of lay. In all that time you will not be generating any revenue. Rather you will be pumping in money.
If you are too accustomed to getting a monthly salary you may struggle to start your business. That is why many people struggle to start businesses. They quickly start spending on themselves before the business stabilizes. It is also the same reason why some people cannot reinvest part of the profits back into the business. It is all because they are so used to monthly salaries. Thus they cannot manage to go through a month without money. They would rather spend what is meant for the business than to wait. If this describes then you are not really wired to start a business.
You Love Comfort Zones
Starting a business is no walk in the park. You will be tested and shaken many times. You will have to unlearn some things and learn some new things. Starting a business places so many demands on you; comfort becomes elusive. In trying to remain comfortable you will fail to get to where you ought to get. Especially early on, you might have to cut back on your spending.
You might be forced to give up some of your luxuries. You may even have to put in more hours. Actually, studies have shown that being in business often means you will put in more hours than when employed. All these are examples of things that will shake you out of your comfort zones. If you still love and want to stay in your comfort zones, starting a business is a bad idea for you.
If You Procrastinate A Lot
There is a certain level of focus starting a business requires of you. There is also a certain level of discipline you will need. Whatever needs to be done will be facing you. You will almost always be accountable to yourself. Do not forget that your comfort zones will be shaken. All these variables will need you to be someone who gets things done as they should. Those who are weak-willed, they will most definitely seek refuge in procrastination. That is why if you are a procrastinator, you are not cut out to start a business.
You Are Not Ready To Pay Others
Money begets money. If you are not ready to use the money then you have a problem. One area of particular note is paying others. It can be suppliers, employees, service providers, and so on. Starting a business will entail lots of payments from the onset. Even as you continue to build the business, paying others will be inescapable. If your heart bleeds when paying others is imminent, starting a business may not be for you.
Sure enough, these people may or can start a business. However, it is best they never start a business; they should not. It is best that they first of all work on their traits. Otherwise, if they start businesses, lots of complications will arise. If any of the aspects we discussed describe you, it may not yet be time to start a business. Self-awareness is important. Know yourself and appreciate where you should or should not be. The 6 aspects we covered are areas that you can cultivate if you are lacking in them. Thus you should not completely write yourself off if you currently do not fit the bill.
