South Africa – a beautiful country with lots to offer… Great weather, friendly people, and a variety of deep-rooted cultures all in one place! Feeling creative here is easy. There are many ideas that have not been executed in this country due to the lack of consistent infrastructure and money. Seeing the beauty and opportunity in this place is key for business to work!
There are many obstacles we must navigate to get things going – but don’t let this demotivate you. It’s just the beginning. The South African government is extremely organized in the business sector. From licenses and permits to tax – the application process is clear and simple and there are friendly staff to assist you along the way.
‘How do I get started?’ you may ask… ‘What business should I start?’ you ask yourself… Asking the ‘how’, ‘why’ and ‘what’ questions is the first step!
So, let’s get started on the ‘what’…
What business should I start?
Ask yourself these questions:
- What am I good at?
- What is my startup capital?
- What can I offer?
- What is my unique selling point?
Once you’ve asked yourself those questions, it’s time to move on to the ‘how’…
- How can I carry out my offering?
- How can I fund this business?
- How can I get customers?
- How can I be consistent*
*we will discuss consistency later – but don’t underestimate consistency!!
Next is ‘why’…
- Why do I want to own my own business?
- Why will customers choose me over competitors?
- Why choose self-employed over employed?
Ok… Enough of the questions for now. Let’s talk about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is not for everybody. It is a way of life, not just a professional decision. It is a mental state that you naturally train your brain to be in. It’s seeing opportunity at every turn. There is a much less glamorous side to entrepreneurism and I think it’s important to talk about it because every positive has a negative and being an entrepreneur means embracing both sides.
There are times when every answer you hear is ‘no’. No from investors, no from collaborators, no from clients. This is something you will have to get used to. Get so used to it that you turn it into a positive! ‘How?’ you ask. You will realize that not every opportunity you noticed was designed for you or your business and that sometimes not getting every opportunity you thought you wanted is a blessing. This will in turn lead to you saying ‘no’ to certain things that you may never have thought possible. Saying no isn’t always a negative, but as you get to know your brand and business, you will know what is right for you. Saying ‘no’ can be as empowering as saying ‘yes’.
There is something that hasn’t been touched on yet and it’s one of the key ‘must haves’ of owning your own business. Hard work. I never knew hard work until I owned my own business. When you’re employed, certain aspects of business are done for you – normally a lot of admin and behind-the-scenes freakouts you never get to see! When you own your own business, you deal with everything. That’s a good thing and a huge learning curve. You become more educated in fields you never thought possible. It’s a rabbit hole of laws, taxes, daily practices, and people management. It makes you a better version of yourself and it’s worth it – but don’t be fooled – there will be late nights, early mornings, complaints, problems, fears, and close calls. Being an entrepreneur is like going back to school but having yourself as a headmaster. If you don’t get the job done, no one else will. You have to graft!
So, it’s perfect timing to discuss consistency! Anything you read above will not be successful without consistency. Consistency is bar far the most important, load-bearing skill you need to possess in order to be successful. Not one successful entrepreneur became so without it and you need to factor that into your everyday life. Feeling sad? You still need to post to social media! Have the flu? You still need to get the job done! Feeling demotivated due to a lack of orders? Keep going and don’t let mental feelings overcome your physical productivity. It’s tough and a constant battle but don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goal. Anything! If something goes wrong, it’s time to recalibrate and think of a different approach. Do not stop!
I have a few quotes that keep me going when I need a push. Listed below –
Interviewer: How do you get through tough days?’
“Pretend, I mean it’s either that or cry yourself to sleep. Who wants to do that?” – Rihanna
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“Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it’s the courage to continue that counts” Winston Churchill
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“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.” – Marie Forleo