Have you ever considered starting your own business?

Many people do, sometimes as a means to follow a particular passion, and sometimes as a means to bring in an income. And sometimes, of course, as a means to do both.

However, some people struggle to get beyond the dream stage. They perceive barriers in their way, and rather than hurdle these barriers, they falter and give up before starting out on their own. And this is a shame because they might then live with regrets wondering what might have been.

Don't Let These Barriers Scupper Your Dreams Of Starting Your Own Business

So, what about you? Have you had dreams of running your own business? Perhaps you have had an idea of something you would like to sell. Or you might have had dreams about opening your own restaurant or a retail store. If so, don't let the following barriers get in your way. 

Barrier #1: The risk factor

Starting a business is risky because while you might succeed, you might also fail in your attempts. Sucks right? However, you can mitigate the risk. By researching other businesses, you can find out what they are doing, and then find your own niche, so you have less competition to worry about. Rather than starting with a business that nobody has heard of, you might consider a franchising opportunity, using another company's trademark to start out on your own. Take these bug control business opportunities into account, for example. And if you market your business effectively, promoting it on everything from your social media channels to leaflets that can be dropped around your community, you might soon have a steady stream of customers looking to buy from you. So, starting your own business is risky, but some risks are worth taking.

Barrier #2: A lack of money

For starters, know that not every business requires a huge capital to begin with. You might start an online micro-business at home, perhaps working as a freelancer to other businesses, or selling products you have created yourself. As the linked article indicates, many big businesses started out this way, and while their operation was tiny at first, they eventually grew into something on a massive scale. Of course, you might not care about growing your business into a multi-million dollar company, but the possibility is there if you work hard enough. 

There are also ways to raise capital for your business. A business loan is an obvious example, but you might also take a less financially risky approach and consider crowdfunding to fund your startup. Of course, a sensible approach would be to save up any money you earned from other income sources, and to use that as the basis for your business capital. You might also begin your business as a side-hustle, starting small while still bringing in an income from a regular job to fund your lifestyle and any essential aspects of your business. 

And when your business is off the ground, know that there are ways to cut costs. You can market your business for free on social media and online business listing sites, and there are loads of free and low-cost apps and software programs available to help you run your business. Check out this extensive list of cost-cutting ideas for other examples. 
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Barrier #3: A lack of skills

Are you worried that you don't have what it takes to start your own business? Well, the truth is, not many people do. We all have to start somewhere, so while you should commit to research on the basics of running a business, know that you will also learn as you go. And while you might mistakes, you can then learn from them to improve your business knowhow. 

You should also start with a business idea that you are proficient in. It would be pointless beginning a photography business, for example, if you didn't know one end of a camera from another! Think about the things you are good at, and base your business idea around one of them.

Know too that you can do as we suggested in our last point, and that is by using an app or a software program to make light work of complicated tasks. So, if the thought of doing your own taxes gives you nightmares, you could download one of these mobile tax apps onto your phone. Research other downloadable tools for the aspects of business that you don't feel very proficient in. 

​Finally...

Don't let the barriers we mentioned scupper your dreams of running your own business. If you have an idea in mind, and if you are ready to put in the time and effort, then go for it! You might change your life for the better if you do.

Let us know what you think, and if you have any other suggestions for our readers, be sure to let us know. 

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