You have your passion for the product or service. There is evidence of market demand. You have an effective marketing strategy in place. Underpinning that are solid business skills such as:
| Team building | Time management | Communication | ||
| Leadership | Creativity | Organisation | ||
| Problem resolution | Being able to delegate | IT | ||
| Negotiation skills | Financial planning | Project management | ||
| Public speaking | Sales/customer relationship | Business planning | ||
| Book-keeping | Marketing | Networking |
Business skills can be always be learnt. In the beginning, you’re going to have to be chief bottle washer and the whole kit and caboodle. However as you immerse yourself in your business and you begin to turn a profit, you can then outsource those tiresome tasks (and make work for another self-employed person).
Linking the four points above is your mindset. Without the right attitude of mind, your business may falter. The qualities which a good business person needs include:
| Adaptability | Awareness | Balance | ||
| Commitment | Confidence | Decisiveness | ||
| Determination | Discipline | Emotional intelligence | ||
| Engagement | Flexibility | Focus | ||
| Integrity | Intuition | Passion | ||
| Patience | Perseverance | Positive mental attitude | ||
| Resilience | Tenacity | Vision |
Qualities are more nebulous than skills to build. However self-development is a powerful motivator for many people who start-up and run their own business. So not only do you have the opportunity for profit-building and professional development, but you also have access to build self-esteem through becoming a more rounded person.
Bear in mind the inter-relatedness for business success: passion, market demand, marketing strategy and solid business skills all bound together with a positive and dynamic mindset. Simples.
