Canadian Small Business Women

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Taking the leap into the world of Business?


yvonne

Are you thinking of starting your business? If so, join the millions of people who at one point or the other in their lives have considered whether or not to start a business. The thought of having a successful business, being your boss or doing something you are really passionate about sounds very appealing, right? And these, amongst other reasons are why people leave their jobs and decide to start their own thing. The familiar question is; do I take the leap? And if so, when and how do I take the leap?

One of the greatest challenges for some people in starting a business is the challenge of leaving the security of a paid job. For some it is the issue of choosing the right idea to turn into a successful business. Well, these two challenges can be easily overcome.

First and foremost before venturing into you own business, undertake some research on how viable the business idea(s) is. Are there potential customers? And what is the potential ROI (return on investment)? I’m sure you’d agree with me that it is not very wise to invest your time and money into a business that doesn’t seem viable on paper, or give up your job to start a business based on a whim. However, many people do.

Secondly, an approach to starting a business without giving up your Job is to actually undertake a pilot while still working. And believe me, doing this will require the skill of being able to multitask. To undertake a pilot means doing some test marketing in order to test the market or gauge how responsive people are to your product /service. This will enable you make better decisions on the idea and what to do next. I’ve got to warn you though that this could prove to be hard work juggling a business with your fulltime job, most especially if you have a family to take care of. It requires time management, focus, perseverance and more. These are only some of the requirements you will need both in the short and long run if you want to have your own business. So, as opposed to immediately taking a leap, consider taking long steady strides.

Having looked at your business idea and undertaken some research, you may decide the business idea is viable and you’d like to take that leap into the business world. There are a few basic things that you’d need to do in order to take off. I very much believe in building solid foundations that will allow one to build much taller and weatherproof buildings. And to build a solid foundation you need to get either some business advice or coaching and write a plan.

The word ‘Business Plan’ seems to be such a dreaded word, many people think of it as long-winded and unnecessary. However, I promise you that it is one thing that will need doing either now or later for a more successful business, better now than later I say. Planning and building the concept in your head is not enough, pen it down on paper. The saying goes, “Write the vision and make it plain, that those who is it may run with it” and that includes you, your potential business partner or financiers. Writing the plan takes you through the process of developing and refining your idea, it is also very much needed if you plan on raising capital externally. Please note that it is not enough to just write a business plan for the intention of raising capital, you should also use it as a blueprint for successfully managing your business.

Another challenge often faced in starting a business is Capital. Sometimes, the bigger the idea, the bigger the capital required. Don’t let this hinder you if raising capital seems to be your own challenge. Instead, think out-of-the box in identifying ways to raise the capital required. Look for avenues to cut back on the initial capital required, some ways of cutting back on capital includes; offering trade by batter or buying second-hand instead of new.

The following options are available to you and all except for personal savings will require a sound Business Plan; Personal savings, Friends & Family, Bank loan, Government Initiatives, Private Investors and Venture Capitalists.

Having researched the idea, written a ‘Plan’ and raised the required finance, you are all set to take off. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. Take the leap if you feel very strongly about it, but plan and prepare for it.

To learn about Yvonne’s latest book on Changing your Mindset for greater results, visit http://www.oliveblue.com/changeyourmindset/

Yvonne is an Author, Speaker, Change Consultant & John Maxwell Leadership Coach who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to help implement change they want and achieve their goals.   

She can be reached at: www.oliveblue.com . www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc . www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc.www.youtube.com/ChangeYouWantTV

Turn your business around by knowing and owning your worth!

Uchechi

I was speaking to a fairly new business owner recently, who was feeling high level of anxiety and frustrations over her business. As I was speaking to her, I could sense the fear, doubt, and frustration that were coming up for her around the security of her business.

As we dug deeper into her feelings and sharing tools to help change her perception, which would allow her to see solutions vs. feeling like a victim, an interesting realization surfaced. Although, it was her desire to succeed and thrive in her business, deep down she did not feel worthy of it. She also realized that subconsciously she felt that she had to struggle. This deep-rooted belief then became her reality. It was such a great ‘aha’ moment for her and I truly believe the start to her turning her feelings and business around. Her feeling of unworthiness and need to struggle is a perfect example of how much our past programming and conditioning plays in our lives and business.

Many of us grew up in a household where money was scarce and as such we developed the belief that money is hard to come by and struggling is a natural way to live. Beliefs like this relate to all areas of our lives, especially when we’re trying to build a successful business! This is the very reason why many personal development literatures and programs often state that we don’t go searching to ‘find’ success. It is all inside us. All we need to do is identify and remove the blocks, which we have built up against it. These blocks includes feelings of unworthiness and need for struggle that we have picked up growing up, which is now preventing us from having all the success and prosperity we crave in our lives and business.

Understanding your sense of self and knowing and owning your worth and power is essential in changing negative perceptions and programming that often keeps you from being successful and achieving your goals. Below are some tools I shared in a past workshop that will help you take back your power and start to build a better relationship with yourself. This will ultimately help you move past the need to struggle and past the feeling of unworthiness and undeserving of success.

Ditch the inner critic – Ditch that small voice of the ego that tells you that you are neither good enough nor worthy of your goals and success. It’s time to call b.s. on that voice and prove it wrong by stepping out with faith and taking action towards your goals. When that voice acts up, remind them of your power and that you were meant for success and to prosper!

Break your inner glass ceiling– We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling in the corporate world, where no matter what we do or how hard we work, there is a glass ceiling that we feel we just can’t break through. Well, the same holds true internally. We have this limited thinking of what we can or can’t do. We’ve created a set point through our past programming that limits our capability. For example, you can’t see yourself making more than $10,000 a month in your business, because you are small with limited resources and can only grow so much. We’ve set so many false limits on ourselves. It is important to realize that your limit is only based on what you choose to be true for you. You must always remember you are an abundant being and that your eyes and ears cannot comprehend the abundance and success that is waiting for you to claim. Everything you need to thrive and build a successful business is inside of you. I know this sounds like such a cliché, but it’s true! You just need to remove your self-limiting beliefs about yourself that holds you back and keeps you stagnant.

Be conscious of your internal and outer dialogue– Watch the language you use to describe yourself and your business. Many times, we say “I can’t, I don’t have enough, I’m too small” etc. We need to remember that our self-talk turns into stories, which then becomes our beliefs; thus we’ve just programmed ourselves. We then experience these beliefs and programming in our physical environment. We need to harness and master our thoughts and self talk to empower us. Using affirmations and consciously intending your wishes and desires for your business and knowing that it will come to pass is one way to do this. What words and thoughts are you using to describe your business and it’s current condition? Would you want your thoughts and words to materialize? Be conscious of your thoughts and speak words that best serve you and your business.

 

Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse is a Business & Lifestyle Strategist, Speaker and Writer, but most importantly, a proud Mother and Wife. Uchechi is Co-Founder of Elite Wellness Services Inc. (www.elitewellness.ca) and Founder of My Empowered Living (http://www.myempoweredliving.com) a website aimed at helping women change negative and disempowering mindset and live their passion! Whether it’s starting and building their dream business, or helping them create a lifestyle they crave, Uchechi is the modern woman’s secret to success! Visit Uchechi at www.myempoweredliving.com to get your FREE copy of 5 Simple Steps to Create a Life you’re Crazy About! A 15-page workbook!