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My main purpose in life is to help people start their own businesses so they can live the lives they’ve always wanted to live.
In my head, it seems so easy…
You find out what problems people have and you help solve them.
Simple!
But pretty often, I get some pushback on this. I get a lot of “I want to start my own business, but…”
So I took to Facebook and asked my friends and followers to help me understand why people who have the ability to start their own businesses don’t do it.
Here’s what I said:
What do you think stops people from just DOING IT when it comes to starting a business?
I got a lot of eye-opening responses that I just had to share with you.
Let’s talk through them so we can bust through these common obstacles to starting a business!
Not Believing in Themselves
Sarah said she thinks not believing in themselves and their capabilities stops people from starting a business.
Yep, I hear this one on the regular.
So many people have this idea that they’re not good enough to do the thing they really want to do.
This idea might stem from lies they were told growing up…
Or it might be a deep seated mindset issue they’re struggling to overcome.
Or it might just be because they haven’t learned the skills yet.
Whichever reason is holding you back, know that you can change it. You can learn to believe the truth about yourself, and not the lies that have been limiting you.
And you can certainly learn new skills. Our brains are not at capacity!
You can even learn the techie things…
Cole says tech gets in his way more than anything else — and I know he’s not the only one!
Even I’m not immune to this…
I put off starting my blog for pretty much forever because I didn’t know how to get a website up and running.
If I could go back in time, I’d slap myself across the face and say, “Google it, you big sissy!”
Fortunately for you, you’re not a big sissy — and thanks to all the mistakes I’ve made in building my businesses, you’ll spend far less time googling stuff than I did!
This is where using resources comes in. Trying to figure everything out on your own is a recipe for disaster!
Perfectionism
Andrew believes perfectionism holds a lot of people back.
Ding, ding, ding! We have a major winner here.
(Although if you’re going to jump out of an actual plane, please ensure you have a parachute first! ;-))
Many people think they have to have every single thing in place before they start looking for clients/customers.
Not true!
All you need to do is take a couple of steps to get the ball rolling, and then you can grow as you learn.
You know, a lot of people in my industry who sell online courses get beta testers before they launch their new product to their entire audience.
They have a product that’s almost done, and they get feedback from their target audience about how good the product is and what would make it better before they do a full launch.
And that’s the smart way to do it! They don’t waste time trying to guess exactly what their target audience wants or needs. They don’t get hung up on creating the perfect sales page before letting anyone see it. They go straight to the source and get help with developing a product that will actually meet their audience’s needs.
So what small steps could you take today that will get the ball rolling in your business?
Analysis Paralysis
Paul believes people overthink what service they’re going to provide, and they get stuck in the details.
There are so many possible businesses you could start that it’s easy to get stuck in analysis mode, trying to choose the right one for you.
Here’s how you choose the right business idea for you:
First, it must not be a scam.
Second, it must be able to generate predictable profits for your time and money.
Third, it must be a good fit for your personality.
Fourth, it should somewhat align with your passions.
Many people think they have to wait until they find the perfect business that completely aligns with their passions. I’ll dig into this in the next point.
Focusing on Your Needs
Tim says in his day you decided what service you were going to offer first, and then you tried to find customers.
I’ll remind you what my Facebook post said:
The first 3 steps in starting a business are….
1) Determine who you want to help;
2) talk to people in that space;
3) create a solution to ONE problem for ONE client…
… then just repeat step 3 for more people 🙂
So there are two ways to decide on your business: choose your passion or choose what people need help with.
Choosing your passion isn’t necessarily wrong; it’s important to enjoy what you do. But if it doesn’t align with what people need help with, then you’re out of luck when it comes to getting lots of clients.
A little forward planning will allow you to choose a business that has the potential to make you money.
Lack of a Support Network
Karen believes not having a good support system in place holds people back.
This one makes me a little sad!
Why can’t our nearest and dearest support us in everything we want to do?
Sometimes it’s because they just care about you and don’t want to see you struggle.
Other times it’s because they’re projecting their own fears onto you.
Once they see you’re doing well, their tune will likely change.
In the meantime, start building an alternative support network. There are thousands (maybe even millions!) of people out there who have the same goals you do.
Why not link up with people who know exactly what you’re going through and what you’re trying to achieve?
Here are some places you can find your tribe:
- Facebook groups (Join our Work-At-Home Heroes group! The password is #Heroes.)
- Professional groups in your industry
- Meetup groups
- Local chamber of commerce
Fear of Failure
Leonie believes the fear of failure is what stops people from starting a business.
I’d like to counter that with “The belief that failure is real.”
Everything you do — whether it’s successful or not — is a learning opportunity.
There are only two ways to fail: the first is giving up when the going gets tough, and the second is never even trying.
If you persist and keep trying different things until something works out, you will see success eventually.
The road to success is rarely a straight line. There will be zigs and zags and crater-size potholes, but you can get past all of them.
Keep on truckin’!
Habits Getting in the Way
Angela says habits get in her way.
When we’re trying to create something new, sometimes it takes a bit of sacrifice to make it happen.
Who am I kidding? It can take a lot of sacrifice!
But think about it this way…
Which of these will feel better in the long run?
An extra hour in bed or being your own boss and not taking orders from anyone anymore?
Weekends spent lounging in front of the TV or having the freedom to take several weeks off whenever you please because you’ve built a successful business that’s working even when you’re not?
Your daily frothy coffee from Starbucks or having the money to buy your website hosting for your new business? (In fact, you’d only need to give up one coffee a month to afford website hosting!)
These are just a few of the sacrifices you might need to make/habits you’ll need to change when you’re building your business, but can you tell me they won’t be worth it?
Your Turn
I hope you’re pumped up to start a small business now that you know exactly how to overcome those obstacles to starting a business that are holding you back! If you’re ready to get started on your work-from-home journey, check out our FREE masterclass. It’s packed full tips that will help you learn new skills and start a business from home.
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