What’s your personal passion?

What drives you crazy each and every time?

If you could change one thing in your immediate community, what would it be?

These are just some of the questions you should ask your self in order to start thinking about your entrepreneurship dreams.

If you are like me then you have been working in the corporate world or for the same employer for a very long time.In my case I’ve been with my employer for over six years, yet it seems like it was only yesterday that I started.

Despite being gainfully employed for over six years with the same employer, numerous promotions, more money and greater perks – I still dream of being fully self employed one day.

I actually really like working in Marketing,  but I equally enjoy being my own boss.  I hope to one day become a successful full time entrepreneur. Despite having two mini side businesses on the go – office cleaning company and a successful online blog – I’ve yet to take the leap to fully work for my self.

If you’re dreaming of becoming self employed and starting your own business you may want consider these four tips:

1. Target a Niche Market

In my early days schooling days in Marketing, there was heavy talk about focusing on niche marketing. Find that niche, and run with it.You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but rather find a need that would appeal to your niche market – whoever they might be. Robert Deluce started Porter Airlines, based out of Toronto’s island airport. His visions was simple – offer effective, short-haul, hassle free flying experience for travelers. Rather than going to the airport, and dealing with all the busyness, you can fly out of the island airport for a fraction of the price and avoid all the typical airport hassle.

2. Persistance is Key

It can take years before a business becomes profitable. Most businesses don’t make it past the first year – most throw in the towel and head back to the corporate world and the security of a guaranteed paycheck.

Starting a business, running one, and driving forward isn’t easy, and if anyone told you it was….well they lied.

The key to being successful is to never give up; there will be obstacles, setbacks and in some cases you’ll be on the brink of falling off the edge, but start up business owners will never have success if they give up.

3. Have a Vision

Many people want to open a business but opening just another business on the corner or just another location in a shopping mall won’t get people’s attention.  Having a solid vision is much more important, because let’s be honest – this world doesn’t need another business that already exists, and probably has been around for generations.

How will your business be different from the rest?

Devon Brooks (from Vancouver) opened a new concept of hair salons that offer blow dry’s only.  There are no haircuts and no hair coloring, just washes and blow dry’s. There are now 25 locations of her blow dry only concept hair salon (Blo Blow Dry Only) throughout Canada and the US.

4. Start Small – Think Big

Focus one day at a time. Starting a business is like a puzzle, you start at one end with a few pieces, and slowly over time you build the puzzle, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. Think of the steps you need to take to get your small business to where you want it to be? Where do you see your business headed in the future?  Think realistically about the growth of your small business, do you need employees? Where will you work from? Who are your target clients?

As a wise man once said to me: “Slow and steady wins the race”

Readers, are you still dreaming of starting your own business? What’s holding you back?

Cheers!

Eddie

 Photo Credit (caribb)