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Managing Pitfalls of Entrepreneurship

We have seen the most common reasons behind many small business failures. Now we must examine the ways to avoid becoming another failure statistic and gain insight into what makes a successful business. The suggestions for success follow naturally from the causes of business failure. These are the ways managing pitfalls of entrepreneurship:

1. Know Your Business in Depth
2. Develop a Solid Business Plan
3. Manage Financial Resources
4. Understand Financial Statements
5. Learn to Manage People Effectively
6. Keep in Tune with Yourself

Know Your Business in Depth

We have already emphasized the need for the right type of experience in the business you plan to start. Get the best education in your business area you possibly can before you set out on your own. Become a serious student of your industry.

Read everything you can that relates to your industry journals, business periodicals, books, research reports- and learn what it takes to succeed in it. Personal contact with suppliers, customers, trade associations, and others in the same industry is another excellent way to get that knowledge.

Smart entrepreneurs join industry trade associations and attend trade shows to pick up valuable information and to make key contacts before they open their doors for business. Successful entrepreneurs are like sponges, soaking up as much knowledge as they can from a variety of sources.

Develop a Solid Business Plan

Developing a strong business plan is essential for entrepreneurs. It provides direction and serves as a benchmark for measuring performance. Many entrepreneurs rush into ventures without this vital step.

Luckily, resources like Business Plan Pro are available to help create one. A solid business plan is crucial for success, helping entrepreneurs replace assumptions with facts and answer tough questions before starting a business.

Manage Financial Resources

Effective financial management is crucial for entrepreneurs. To maintain control and make informed decisions, it’s essential to have adequate startup capital. Many entrepreneurs underestimate their capital needs; it’s wise to double your estimate.

Cash is the most valuable financial resource for a small business. While profitability matters, cash flow is vital for meeting obligations. Some rely on sales growth for cash, but this often falls short. Growing companies often use more cash than they generate, leading to failure for those unaware of their cash flow.

Understand Financial Statements

Every business owner must depend on records and financial statements to know the condition of her or his business. All too often entrepreneurs use these only for tax purposes and not as vital management control devices. Truly to understand what is going on in the business, an owner must have at least a basic understanding of accounting and finance.

When analyzed and interpreted properly, these financial statements are reliable indicators of a small firm’s health. They can be quite helpful in signaling potential problems. For example, declining sales, slipping profits, rising debt, and deteriorating working capital are all symptoms of potentially lethal problems that require immediate attention.

Learn to Manage People Effectively

No matter what kind of business you launch, you must learn to manage people. Every business depends on a foundation of well-trained, motivated employees. No business owner can do everything alone. The people an entrepreneur hires ultimately determine the heights to which the company can climb or the depths to which it can plunge.

Attracting and retaining a corps of quality employees is no easy task, however. It remains a challenge for every small business owner. “In the end, your most dominant sustainable resource is the quality of the people you have,” says one small business expert.

Keep in Tune with Yourself

“Starting a business is like running a marathon. If you’re not physically and mentally in shape, you’d better do something else,” says one business consultant. The success of your business will depend on your constant presence and attention, so it is critical to monitor your health closely. Stress is a primary problem, especially if it is not kept in check.

Successful entrepreneurs recognize that their most valuable asset is their time and they learn to manage it effectively to make themselves and their companies more productive. None of this, of course, is possible without passion for their businesses, their products or services, their customers, and their communities. Passion is what enables a failed entrepreneur to get back up, try again, and make it to the top.

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