All business owners want to succeed in one way or another, but the secret to success often seems elusive. Sometimes as a business owner you can be doing everything right and still not be able to reach your goal. Don’t give up! Follow these six steps to build your business successfully.
- Build something you believe in.
If you don’t believe in your business, who will? Believing in your idea is the key to building a successful business. People will see how much you believe in your business and they give you their trust and their respect.
- Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back.
So many people are scared to open a business because they think that it won’t succeed. Don’t let this hinder you! Let your passion for your business be stronger than your fear of failure. Take the risk and give it everything that you’ve got and if you fail, at least you know you tried your hardest.
- Be confident.
Even if you have to “fake it ‘til you make it,” be confident in your business. As a business owner, you are your biggest advocate. You are the expert in your field and you have to be confident enough to share your expertise with existing and potential clients.
- Accept and encourage criticism.
If you’re stubborn like me, this might be hard to do. But criticism is very important for your business’s success! If you’re not listening to criticism, then you’re not listening to your customers. Your business will never grow if you don’t encourage and act on criticism.
- Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Think of all the work runners put into training for a marathon. It takes months and months of hard work and dedication. It’s the same with your business. You won’t be successful overnight, and it takes a lot of hard work and planning, but think of how great it will feel when you cross that finish line.
- Take care of your family, personal, and spiritual health.
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in your business life and forget about your personal life. Don’t fall into this trap! You can’t be on 100% of the time; you’ll burn out. Make sure you put aside sometime for yourself and your family. And remember to laugh every once and awhile!
Remember to think positively and work hard and success will come your way!
Olivia Levine is an intern for Women’s Entrepreneurship Center at The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center. She is focused on assisting lower income women, those in transition or those trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. “StartUP” is a 4-week certificate program designed for women with lower incomes, offering support and guidance in determining if entrepreneurship is an option for them presented by The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC), sponsored by NBT Bank.
