Let’s face it– in this economy the thought of starting a business is very appealing. It seems so easy, so fun… But the reality is harsh. Starting and running a business require lots of hard work and determination. You will probably have to do things that you had never imagined. As a leader you need to have the ability to create the vision and inspire others to embrace your vision. Even though this may seem rough, there is light at the end of the tunnel! The the sense of satisfaction that comes from being an entrepreneur are limitless. I encourage everyone to explore what your heart desires and I’ll leave you with a few tips…
- Survey, survey, survey. When starting a business you must make sure that there are people out there who want to buy purchase what your product or service you are planning to offer. There is no way to anticipate every obstacle in the marketplace, but stay focused on what you are trying to solve and ask relevant questions.
- Be clear. When you are telling others about your product or service you must make it clear. Someone should be able to grasp what you’re selling in a matter of moments. It shouldn’t take you thirty minutes to explain your product. People will get lost in translation.
- Presentation is key. Your product or service should speak for itself. It should be presented so well that it’s a no-brainer when it comes to making the choice to buy from you or the other guy.
- Engage. If you want to grow personally and increase your revenue it’s in your best interest to attend networking events, especially those related to your business venture.
- Referrals are everything. Encourage those who are satisfied with your products or services to refer family and friends. There is nothing better than a great referral. You should also tell everyone what you offer. You will be surprised with what you can stumble across.
- Make mistakes. It is okay to mess up. What you should be learning is how to fix it. It’s important to get back up and keep on going.
- Systematize where possible. As a startup company you are often faced with doing some of the leg work. As you grow you will need to delegate those responsibilities to others, so why not keep track of what you’re doing, create some systems and processes, and save yourself headaches later when your team grows.
- Benchmark your financial progress. It’s very important to understand where your funds are coming from and where they are going to. I can’t stress this point enough. Monitoring your progress will guide where you should be focusing your efforts.
- Encourage creativity. All of your team members should feel comfortable exploring new ideas and approaching you with them. Explore the idea of giving everyone some free time during each week to research or work on something cool and new, even if it’s unrelated to their current role. This concept seems to work pretty well for Google, so maybe there’s something to it.
- Pay it forward and give back. Has anyone ever just randomly helped you with something? Isn’t it a great feeling when they do? It makes you want to help next person even more, so do it. It helps others to trust you and feel safe knowing that you will take care of their respected referrals. Stay involved in community activities and your community will support you as you support it.
To contact regarding any questions, comments, advice or support contact asolomon@launchlg.com
Antonella M. Solomon
Chief Creator of Innovation
Launch Learning Group
Launch Learning Group (LLG) is a training company that specializes in innovative pre-licensing courses for state insurance licensing exams in the State of Michigan. We offer courses in the four main lines of insurance — life, health, property, and casualty. Courses are delivered to help agents pass exams the first time by providing an interactive experience infused with technology, competitive games, animated videos and learning strategies that appeal to adults instead of the boring textbook-only approach. By using these various tools, we can appeal to all of the types of learners out there — visual, audio, and kinesthetic.