April 22, 2019 | By Mason Roberts
Your dream is to run a small business. You have read countless articles about the experience, and think you know just about everything that can be thrown your way. Well, think again. This is an unexpected career path. The truth is, there are things that can only be learned from personal encounters. You can read, take classes, and ask seasoned entrepreneurs, but this will not give you all the information possible. You cannot begin to understand some things that occur in a small business until you are in the mix of it yourself. Here are some surprising business things you will learn when running your own establishment:
It Is Not Easy To Gain Customers.
Business owners have the misconception very often that bringing in customers is an easy feat. Though, there are some key details to be completed in order to make your chances in accomplishing this that much higher. If you have a great product or service that you are selling, that is a great start, but not the only thing that is important. Marketing your business to reach the target customers you need is the key to increasing your clientele. This is how your customers will learn about your business and come rushing through your door. Advertise your most popular items in a smart way. Once accomplished, your amount of customers should double in size.
Your Success Does Not Rely Only On Your Product.
The success of your business does depend solely on your product. There can be another small business out there selling a product that is very much less exciting and thought-out but brings in significantly more sales and customers. There are many different factors that make up an accomplished, successful business. It is not a simple three step process that you follow closely. With a booming business, you should have strong marketing skills, good customer service, a great sense of managing your cash flow, and a hardworking team behind you. Also, identify your weaknesses. Once you do this, you will know who to hire on your team in order to make your small business stronger.
You Are On Your Own, For The Most Part.
No matter the size of your dream team, you are responsible for the big picture decisions. As the small business owner, you are the one who your staff will turn to for guidance. That means making every decision you may not want too, like firing or hiring your irresponsible friend who is depending on you to hire them for their crazy purposes. In this situation, you need to be aware of what will be best for your business and what will not, leaving all bias opinions aside. It is also a good idea to find someone to bounce your ideas off of. If you are the boss with no one to share your ideas with that can be helpful, it is very realistic that they may become mixed up in your head, not being able to tell what is a good idea and what is a bad idea.
You Will Not Always Be Working On Things You Love.
You started your dream business, something you have been envisioning for what seems like your whole life. You are excited because you think you'll never be tired or bored with anything that this business entails, but this is not true for many business owners. Small businesses, no matter the focal point, are made up of many different aspects. From coming up with the product or service to conducting it to , to the finances, to the sales tactics, and many more. It is common for a business owner to be disappointed and feel defeated when having to complete things that they do not like or even hate, but that is what comes with running your own small business. You should go into this career with the knowledge of like enjoying every obstacle that will be thrown your way while building your establishment. It is not realistic and will only set you up for disappointment. Put a simpler way, when owning a small business, you must take the good with the bad.
There Will Be Days That Feel Too Short.
Owning a business is different than being part of a team in someone else's business. When you are the boss, you are on call constantly. You are asked many questions and are responsible for many different details that make up your business. You do not only have one job you are responsible for anymore. This means that you may have more to do than hours in the day allow, no matter how much planning you do. You cannot jam pack your schedule for 7 days a week and expect to do everything as it should be, or not burn out from the pressure. Take one thing at a time, and do not put too much pressure on yourself. This can just result in negative results, and your business tanking before it has even reached its full potential.
You Can Look Forward To Going To Work.
In life, there is a false misconception of almost the entire population hating their jobs. This does not have to be the case. The truth is, many people love going to their jobs and completing their work. Now, this is not to say you'll never have a bad day because you will. Overall though, you can love your job immensely and look forward to the week ahead of you. If you have started a small business doing something you are extremely passionate about, the chances of you being happy and settled in your career are extremely high. There are many business owners, employees, or even interns, who love their place of work, maybe even missing it once the weekend comes. If you are not satisfied with where you are in your entrepreneur career, fix it. Find what you are infatuated with and build a career off of it. Like Confucius said, "Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
