Life is constantly throwing us curve-balls, and these may come more often when you’re trying to start your own business. With that, some mistakes are inevitable, but keeping those to a minimum is of course ideal. I read a list of common startup mistakes business owners make and pointers on how to avoid them. The list was compiled by a group of entrepreneurs, who’ve experienced the roller coaster that business ownership can be. Here’s what they had to say regarding startup mistakes:
- Believing everyone’s advice.
Our natural instincts and intuition exist for a reason. I think paying close attention to your “gut-feeling” is excellent advice when it comes to decision making. Additionally, people will feel free to share their advice and opinions. As a business owner, you have to take [most] advice from others with a grain of salt, and truly follow your own intuition.
- Not putting in the ‘work after the work.’
As an entrepreneur, the work doesn’t end when your business hours are over. The “work after the work” is how your business grows and will ultimately succeed. Take the time to nail down the best work flows, study your numbers, find ways to cut costs, learn leadership and management skills, etc., etc. All of this may require actual blood, sweat, and tears, but will be worth it in the long run.
- Not surrounding yourself with other successful entrepreneurs.
Your circle has a great impact on you and your business. Connecting with others who share similar interests and goals is one way to maintain a positive and driven mindset. Your network also provides a built in support system, full of knowledgeable people, if you ever need extra guidance. Since you’re reading this write-up here in the Community, you’re already in a great place to build your network with other users. One area to do this is our Business Discussions page.
You can see the full list of common startup mistakes and how to avoid them in the article that inspired my post.
As always, if you have any ideas or suggestions to add to this list, please drop them below!