Many clients are tired of the corporate world and wonder if they should start their own business. That is obviously a very big question and different clients may have different issues to think about. However, there are some general issues that most people need to consider. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do you have an idea about what business you want to start? Odd as this question may sound, some people simply fail to ask it. It isn’t enough to want to work for yourself. You must have a clear, and well-researched plan for a specific business. It might evolve and change over time, but you should be able to define your business, as you envision it now, in one short sentence.
- Are you self-motivated? Do you want to set your own agenda and follow through, no matter how much work and attention to detail might be required?
- Are you willing to do the marketing needed to build (and maintain) your own business? Every business must have a clear marketing plan, one that is implemented on a regular basis. For example, you aren’t just doing accounting 100% of the time; you will also be involved in a variety of business-oriented activities.
- Are you a generalist or a specialist? Most business owners are generalists because in addition to their professional services, they may need to spend a part of their day paying bills,making calls, writing emails, hiring staff and so forth. Specialists, however, are usually focused on their professional work. Valuable as one’s professional skills may be, a business owner must be able to wear many hats and juggle many balls in the air at the same time.
Spend some time with these questions and look deeply into yourself and what motivates you. You may find that owning your own business seems exciting and challenging to you or you may decide that you just don’t want to take on the diverse and numerous tasks involved in running a business.
If you would like to evaluate whether you should start a business, contact Lansky Career Consultants at jlansky@lanskycareerconsultants.com or call us at (312) 285-2000 to schedule a self-employment assessment.
