It’s a tough pill to swallow, but being passionate about something does not guarantee its success. Though it certainly gives you an edge when starting a business, simply wanting it more will not ensure your business grows.
There are skills and scenarios that make you the best at what you do, be that cupcakes, landscaping, cooking, or cleaning. However, being the best at one thing, doesn’t prepare you for the trials and tribulations of business ownership.
You’ll Need Business Skills
From proper budgeting to getting your product in front of the right people, you need sound business fundamentals to really make a go of this whole entrepreneurship thing. What is your cost of acquisition and how can you lower it? How do you create a process that is effective and easy to follow? Are you targeting the right audience and are you using the correct tools?
Once again, we’re stressing that just because you have the best product doesn’t mean success is a foregone conclusion.
Leadership & Communication Is Key
This one also ties into the next point, but we’ve got to give you another tough pill to swallow: no one in your business will be as passionate about it as you are. That’s not to say you won’t find eager team players, ready to help you grow and succeed, but not at your level. It’s your business and your baby! You’re giving this thing 150% and if you’re expecting someone else to provide that too, you’re going to be disappointed.
This means that communicating your goals, helping your team see the big picture, and being an all-around effective leader will be critical to your success.
Check Out Another Blog: Staying Top Of Mind: Every Business’s Goal!
What Happens If You Step Away?
If you want to really get a sense of how your business runs, ask yourself: how would things go if you had to step away for a week? How about a month? A year? If you know that things would fall apart without you, you’ve got some work to do.
Being able to say that things would run smoothly is great, but what if you could do better? Your goal should be that if you left for a year, the business wouldn’t be exactly where it is, you want it to be better, stronger, bigger, and even more successful.
Working On, Not In
You might be thinking “Why on earth would I step away from my business for a year?” Well, there are many reasons that might happen that are beyond your control, but the best reason is exactly what is stated above.
You’re the boss, the big cheese, the visionary. You have a strategy and a plan for the business that will see it grow into something incredible. How can you make that happen if you’re stuck in the daily routine of simply running the business? It isn’t a bonus, it isn’t negotiable. You NEED to be working on your business and not just in it.
Interested in learning more? You won’t want to miss this week’s episode of the Thinc Underground Podcast with Business Strategist and Founder of Potenzia Business Solutions, Sofia Aziz.
Join host Arif Khan as he speaks to Sophia about the importance of combining passion, vision, and practical business skills, because entrepreneurs often put all their eggs into one basket and think it’s enough. This problem compounds when growth is on the horizon. “The biggest challenge I see comes back to communication, and being clear with expectations.”
