One truth will always be worth considering. There is always a better and worse time to do something, but never a perfect time to do anything. No matter if it’s finally asking your partner to marry you, confronting a friend about their harmful habits, or launching your business, you will always wonder if starting a little earlier or later would have been more beneficial.
All you can do is pick a good enough time, and see where it takes you. Luckily, this is where adventure is found. Of course, these words sound good in a post, as if we have some divine understanding about what kind of business you should launch and when you should launch it. But the truth is that now is as good a time as any other time, and when that ball is rolling, you get to steer it in the direction you’re most hopeful for.
So, what does that look like in practice? In this post, we’ll discuss that and more:
Break Down Goals Into Manageable Steps
One of the most relief-inducing perspectives is that, no, you don’t have to build a business all at once. As cliche as it might be to consider, a business is a series of interlocking systems, similar to that of a machine. You wouldn’t expect to build a robot in your garage in one fell swoop, first you would work on its internal systems, then its shell casing, then its extremities. We can use this fantastical example to think of how a business is broken into separate steps.
To begin with, defining the problem you hope to solve is a good one. Perhaps you aim to become a personal trainer for those recovering from injury, and as such naturally find the best software for personal trainers to help you. Defining your market, who and how you’ll serve them, and what your process will be like, these developments can be worked on one after the other. When you finish a plan, you can then refer back to your other system and consider how they fit together. This allows you to slowly think cohesively about your brand without neglecting any vital element, or falling into wishful thinking.
Create A Realistic Timeline
Deadlines can feel oppressive to some people, but to others, especially those who are hesitant or may have nerves, they can be freeing. It’s nice to know that no matter what, hitting a realistic deadline is when you’ll launch, pending any unforeseen events.
This can give you the means, motivation and structure to get certain goals achieved. For example, commissioning a graphic designer for deliverables regarding your branding strategy can be a wonderful place to start. Then, registering the business by a certain date. Next, making sure you have your inventory ready, or take on your first client. You might perfect your social media profiles by another date. Consider your work rate, and your means, and set realistic time frames you can stick to. This will enable you to push forward without worry, knowing that everything has been accounted for and you can trust your plan. When such worries are attended to ahead of time, you don’t have to worry about them and can focus on the work instead.
Start Small & Scale Gradually
You don’t have to build to the size of Amazon or Google overnight. We tend to worry that a business is going to become too much to bear, especially if we’re not prepared for that kind of growth, but the truth is that falling into success is rare.
It’s fine if you start small with a humble startup out of your garage to begin with. Serving a few small clients you can enjoy the respect of and then scale up from there is helpful. It allows you to dip your toe in the proverbial commercial waters, and then take what you’ve learned and try again. This also includes the freedom to make mistakes, and perhaps even fail, then picking up with nothing too incredible lost from the effort.
If you do find a grip in the market you’ve chosen, you can then start focusing on a healthier outcome, step by step, and job by job. Perhaps you’ll outsource vital tasks like content writing or SEO to services skilled in that craft, and perhaps take on your first part-time employee. Careful scaling, when you’re ready, is all you have to do.
With this advice, you’re certain to finally start your business despite the fear. That in itself shows you’re a courageous presence and a necessary force in the market.
