A Business is Different From Your JOB

Many startups fail because of the rationale behind their existence. People who get frustrated by their employer are quitting their jobs to start their own businesses that are similar to the one they are running away from. Some will run away from a stressful job thinking that if they start a business things will change. On the other hand, top performers would start thinking that they know better than their leaders hence the motivation to go out there and start their own business.

With my 3-year entrepreneurial journey, I discovered that starting your own business means many jobs on top of your usual job. You have to run the company, ensuring that each department is being taken care of. Starting small is the route for many aspiring entrepreneurs hence so many people start with self-employment. If you are still employed please be reminded that the moment you want to leave and start your own business you have to shift from the employee mindset into the employer mindset. Now, I have some few points I would like to share with you in this 6th Edition that can help you to start, scale up and sustain your business going into the future.

Have a Purpose:

We can all have brilliant business ideas, but you must have a purpose to pursue one. Most start-ups fail because they were never started based on real purpose. Businesses started for reasons I mentioned above in the introduction will fail if they are not driven by purpose. Purpose gives you the courage and determination to make it work. The entrepreneurial journey is not for everyone because it is full of obstacles, sometimes you will be forced to change your lifestyle saving money to boost your business. You will have so many sleepless nights thinking about many things affecting your progress. If you have a family, they may not have enough time with you. Meeting certain statutory requirements can be very tough. At the end of each month, you have to pay salaries, and rentals. There is no guarantee that the best vehicle mechanic will build a successful business. Yes, the mechanic can fix cars excellently but clients want to be served by companies not individuals. You must a vision and Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). See yourself in the next 10-15 years.

If you start a business simply because you want to make quick money then forget it. I hear other people saying that they have brought a lot of money into their employer's business which is something they feel they can do out there on their own. That's being greedy and with that mentality you will be disappointed because you need years to build a proper business that will take care of you for a lifetime.

A business started on real purpose does not only focus on enriching the owner but serving humanity. For instance, before you start a business you have to also think about what it is going to bring to the society, and how it is going to change people's lives. Think about how the business is going to survive beyond you the founder. Before I started my company, you know, with my energy, passion and enthusiasm it only started making sense when I envisioned my business employing thousands of people, with me passing on the baton to another person in due time. I also saw the company helping thousands of people to get jobs and hundreds of companies to grow and service their visions. That is PURPOSE. Even if I face all kinds of setbacks I will never back down, purpose is the driver.

Business Fundamentals:

Many people start businesses without any knowledge of basic business fundamentals that they need to take care of. When you leave your employer to start a business be clear about every important business fundamental. Imagine, one of the best marketers leaving her job to start a marketing consultancy thinking that her superior competences in marketing will make the difference. There is finance/administration, human resources (People), leadership/management, operations, processes/systems, clients, suppliers, innovation etc. that require your attention. Making a difference as an employee does not guarantee your success as a business owner. Remember when working for another organisation you are owning the Marketing Department only when there are many other departments that represent key business fundamentals.

My advice to all aspiring entrepreneurs is this, before you leave your job to start a business, try to learn as much as possible about all the different business fundamentals. Take time to visit each department. You must have an interest in what happens in each department and inter-departmental meetings provide a great opportunity to learn. I have been attending management meetings during my time as an employee and I noticed that some people are only interested in their departmental affairs so much so that when other departments are sharing information they automatically switch off and even be distracted by their phones or laptops. It is not the correct behaviour for someone who wants to start and run a successful business.

In conclusion, do not start a business without a clear purpose. Take your time to process everything and find your purpose.

Brian Mahuni (CoachBM)?is a Senior Market Researcher, Business Consultant & Career Coach who helped 2,000+ professionals to get meaningful employment & 50+ companies to grow their businesses! Currently running own Business & Career Consulting Firm, BM Consultants.

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