It’s almost a cliché to hear about people who have a great startup idea, but fail to execute because of excuses “X, Y, or Z”. While the world of tech startups has been winding down somewhat in recent years, the idea of creating a profitable startup is anything but a pipe dream.
If you believe startup experts like Gary Vanyerchuk, everyone will be running their own business before long. Check out the linked video at the end of this piece for Gary’s take on what he calls the second industrial revolution – or the “death of the industrial revolution” depending on which of his rants you listen to.
You can build a business, probably not the next Facebook or Instagram
A lot of wannabee entrepreneurs hold off on launching the startup of their dreams because they don’t have their feet planted firmly in reality. The idea of a billion-dollar-exit carries the same odds of winning the lottery. That’s not to say it’s impossible, or that I’m being naturally pessimistic, it’s just reality.
Whenever a new trend pops up, such as social media, someone, like Mark Zuckerberg, or the team of Systrom/Krieger will get lucky and build a billion dollar empire riding/starting that trend. They’re more than lucky of course, but there were a lot of big brains of their time, and ours, who didn’t end up where they did.
Focus on building a small business. Then incrementally grow it using patience and smart decision-making. If your idea’s meant to hit it big, it will. Otherwise, you’ll have built something that can take care of your bills and potentially help fund future ventures.
Few rewards are bigger than building something from nothing
When you finally step into the world of entrepreneurship, you’ll never look at a nine-to-five the same way ever again. Working for the man is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do in your life. Hardest on your soul and long-term health, that is!
Actually creating a product and business out of thin air requires nothing more than a few thoughts and the willingness to make it tangible in some way. At the end of the day, nothing in the work world will give you more satisfaction.
Holding off means someone else will be rewarded for implementing those same ideas you’ve always held off on. Not the smartest decision you’ll ever make if you ask me!
You have an entire world of customers at your fingertips
Whether you have your sights set on product development or building services to help people with what ails them, there’s never been a better time to start an international-reaching business from the comforts of home. That’s not to say that you do have to start from home or sell internationally, but the price is surely right if you do go that route.
The Internet gives entrepreneurs access to a whole world of customers. Want to breed and sell prized Border Collies to sheep herders? Why bank on just the U.S. market when you have Asia, Australia, the U.K., India, and a multitude of other international locations you can market to?
You don’t even need to build a website of your own to build a business. Platforms like Ebay, Etsy, Shopify, Sound Cloud, and many others offer you all the support you need to bring products to customers all over the world.
Don’t even get me started on all the marketing methods available from social media, guest posting, forums, and paid solutions like Google Adwords to grow your business out on the cheap.
Funding is at your fingertips
We’ve all seen the Shark Tank and its various iterations. Traditional VCs and angels are nothing new. However, with the Internet and its various funding models, there’s really no way your idea will slip through the funding industry cracks if it has any chance of gaining traction.
Sites like YCombinator can secure you up to $20,000 in funding just for having a viable idea and a smart team standing by your side. If you have a great product idea, but no funding to get a prototype out to market, there are plenty of crowdfunding options to explore. You’ve officially run out of excuses, circa 2017!
There’s funding available – if you’re willing to work for it!
A J.O.B. is as much a risk as starting your own business
As I’ve mentioned, experts/speculators like Gary Vee don’t see an upcoming resurgence in ready-made jobs coming in the future. The robots will in fact take over – some day.
Though hopefully things won’t get as extreme as they did in Terminator: Rise of the Machines!
Unlike the aforementioned fiction film, we will ultimately be in control of technology, and able to use it for financial gain and a sense of selfworth. That is, if we can take charge of our destiny and realize it’s not up to the government to “create jobs” for us.
There’s just as much risk in planning to spend 20 years at the same job, or being a successful job-hopper for the foreseeable future, as there is in starting your own business. Granted a business which can, and may very well fail.
However, eventually, after dusting yourself off enough times, a winner will show itself and trump all the failures that proceeded it.
It’s your life, stop expecting things to fall in your lap!
There’s never been a better time in history to start a business that offers a better than average income folks.
No more excuses! Resistance is futile and will only lead to an eternity filled with regrets.
