Viziun Blog

During a recent conversation with a dear friend of mine, I started thinking about why had no one put together a blog or a book on how to prepare to launch a business. There's plenty of information readily available telling you what resources you need, how to write a business plan, how to apply for funding, and so on.

Why is there no information on how to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for starting a business?  Well, I decided I'm going to address this important point. Many people have dreams of starting their own company and few people actually succeed. Why?  I'm sure there are a number of reasons, circumstances, and pitfalls that prevent a large number of these entrepreneurs from succeeding and resilience may be one of those.

No one said it would be easy. Check
You will work harder than you ever have before. Check
It will take time to be profitable. Check

These are common things we hear when we are thinking of starting our own business.  What about someone sharing these words of wisdom?

You may fail and that's okay. That's how you'll grow.
You will probably loose friends during this time. Be prepared.
People don't want to hear about your success. Sad, but true, so you're better suited to keep it to yourself.
There will always be people betting against you. Use that to drive you and stay focused.
Don't expect your family to help you through this. It's nice if they do, but don't count on it.
There will always be competition and people trying to copy your efforts. Continue learning to stay ahead.
Don't become complacent.  You have to be open to change and evolving.
You'll never have 100% of your customers satisfied. It's impossible.
At the end of the day, no one really cares if your business is successful but you.

These may be harsh words, but they're true. If you know to expect these types of situations and reactions, then you will understand that it's NORMAL. It does not mean you need to pack up shop and move on.  Keep going. Keep forging forward.

Think about some of the most successful people in the world today. Have you heard their stories? The majority will share with you that the journey was not easy. It was filled with heartache, pain, and disappointment, but they didn't allow that to deter them from their goal.

Nothing great comes without sacrifice and in order to be prepared to handle the good times and great success, you need to be able to manage the bad times. These are life lessons and consider yourself fortunate to have the opportunity to experience them.  Most people don't even get that far.

Keep dreaming, keep making mistakes, keep driving forward. Don't let the 'life lessons" prevent you from reaching your target. 

To your continued success,

Erin Glass