In my last blog I talked about the three things you don’t need to start a successful business.
You may be thinking, “That’s great, Anton! I don’t need a bunch of money, a business degree, or a super-successful mentor to take me under their wing and guide me step-by-step. I’m ready!”
Hold up a second, because there are some crucial things you do need. These are three things you can actually do for yourself. Which in some ways is a lot more challenging. But believe me, if you’ve got a dream to create a successful business, it’s possible to make it a reality.
Here are the top 3 things you need to create a successful business:
1. A really good idea.
Okay, this may seem totally obvious. But believe me, in decades of business experience, I’ve seen some entrepreneurs with great work ethics who failed because they just didn’t have a good idea. Your idea doesn’t need to be complicated – it just has to fill a need out there. How do you know if you have a good idea? Talk to people about it. Do your research. And take a really good look at it and trust your gut.
2. Resources to support your idea.
There are a lot of good ideas out there that get a good start but never get the footing to really take off. Maybe it’s a problem on the consumer’s end, or maybe the idea is not being put out there in the way it needs to be. If you know you have a great idea and you’re working your tail off to make it happen, and it’s not moving yet, then it’s time to take a step back and see what additional resources – tools and people – your idea needs. Don’t cling to methods that aren’t producing results. Online marketing and tools are almost always a good investment that don’t take a ton of start-up capital. Learn how to utilize the Internet to focus and funnel customers to your product and your service.
3. Perseverance.
Call it whatever you like: a strong work ethic, follow through, tenacity, resiliency – what it comes down to is perseverance. If you’ve got a good idea and the resources to support it, you need this last vital ingredient to stay the course with your business. You’ll need it for all the ups and downs that business brings, and to make sure your product is high quality and your clients and customers are satisfied with what you’re producing. It’s a lot of work.
How much effort is enough? Good question. Every successful business owner will probably have a different answer. For me, there was never enough effort. I wanted to go bigger, expand my market and my audience and what I could give them. Go big or go home was my mantra – and it worked.
I’m excited to share more about building a successful business in my upcoming memoir, Born to Build, due out in early 2024.