How to Succeed at Starting Your Own Business with these 8 Tips.

You could have a cushy job with paid holidays and health benefits; and if that’s what you want, it’s perfectly fine. But for those of you with a fire in your belly and belief in an idea that you think can add value to the world, starting up is the way to go. Some of the largest companies today like Amazon and Facebook were startups little over a decade ago. The number of exciting startups mushrooming all over the world has seen a sharp increase in the last few years.

It’s easy to get swept away with the start-up wave with little idea about what’s in store. Having said that, going on your own is extremely important today and in many ways easier than it was a few decades ago.

It’s easy to look at the many successful startups out there and think that the picture is all rosy. But remember this, it takes a lot of will power and mental fortitude to survive and ultimately thrive in this playing field. We look at successes and seldom see what goes into making them.

Well! Here’s a peek into what it takes at least according to me. These tips have worked for me so far.

Deciding to jump into the start-up world is no less than an adventure sport. Yes, in real life there’s no harness or parachute to protect you from a nasty fall. The toughest first step is “just deciding”. But once you do, once you pick the door and walk in, you’ll do anything to pave your own start-up way. The same is true while taking business decisions as well. Diligence is a must, after which, make a decision. Don’t worry yourself sick or doubt yourself about whether or not your decision will be proved to be the right one. It’s more important to make a decision rather than to make the right decision. Once things begin to roll, you can always course correct later. First decide, then make it right.

Starting up your own venture can be exciting and while it doesn’t have the constraints of a regular job, it does come with its own share of insecurities. The tide will be rough most often than not. You’ll face monsters and demons, unexpected and new to you. Everything from raising funds, getting and keeping clients, hiring the right people to something as simple as figuring out what snacks to stock up the office pantry with can be exhausting. The sheer gumption it takes to convince someone of your business idea requires grit and tenacity. No matter how tough the course, stick to it and finish what you started… NEVER EVER GIVE UP. This is one of the most important tips especially when the chips are down. Follow what Martin Luther King Jr. once said “If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl…” but whatever you do it’s important to not give up and keep moving forward. And so it is for start ups, it is important to keep moving towards your goal.

The best thing you can learn is how to be a quick learner. You are your own teacher in the start-up world and there will come a time where you may have to learn things you may not necessarily enjoy learning at first. The thing about learning a new skill is it is very difficult at first and you might feel like you can’t do it. You may feel like you have to scale a ten foot brick wall that you keep sliding off of. But the idea is to stick with it and practice the new skill everyday. And before you know it, it will actually become easier for you to do. So the secret here is that practice is key in learning new things. Of course finding the right teacher does not hurt either.

FIND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS: Yup there’s no safety net in a start up so the chances of you getting bruised and battered are plenty. When you get down, don’t get out, get creative instead. JUGAD is a favorite term in the Indian lexicon and it’s the most appropriate term for a startup environment. Don’t mope around for that next round of funding to come through or that next big client to green-light that dream project. Putting everything on hold till you have the resources to do it is not an option. Instead keep your eye on the goal and come up with creative solutions to get there. Don’t wait for the time to be right, start in a small way and try and make what you want, with what you already have.The seconds are running out! You don’t need to have a huge budget to make a super entertaining film, what you do need, is tons and tons of creativity.

In other words find what works for you and what you are comfortable with. The world already had one Steve Jobs, it doesn’t need another carbon copy turtleneck spotting entrepreneur. Learn from other entrepreneurs, but don’t copy them. Do what comes naturally to you. At the same time strive for improvement by taking in honest criticism and feedback. Being yourself and keeping an open mind will get you far and long.

Starting up on your own will surely squeeze out every last hour you have. But do not forget you are no machine. Even computers need breaks, it’s called rebooting. So while you boot strap your way through your business venture don’t forget to reboot yourself every once in a while. That much-needed break might just give you a fresh perspective on that problem you were stuck on.

This one goes without saying. With all those hours that you are going to have to put in to get your company on its feet, it’s easy to ignore your health. A bad habit here, some binging there, lack of exercise could all seem innocuous in isolation but could snowball into something deadly. Being healthy is what will allow you to work harder and smarter. Getting regular exercise is the key. Our bodies were not made to hunch over a computer all day. Running, cardio, jogging or swimming anything will do. Even walking up and down your office floor for half an hour a day could make a world of difference. Exercise Everyday!

The internet if you wish could be a school in itself. The resources and learning tools available to you on the internet are endless, be it in the form of videos or articles. Pick any topic you like, especially starting up and you’ll find yourself soaking in knowledge from the best in the business. What you gain from the knowledge of your mentors and how you put it to use, however, is totally up to you. The culmination of this learning will lead to a unique experience which then makes it your duty to push that acquired knowledge forward. Put out your unique experience and share it with the world, so that another young entrepreneur can benefit from it. DO unto young entrepreneurs what the internet mentors did for you. And that’s how with this open exchange, this ever expanding pool of knowledge and experience get bigger and better.