Becoming an entrepreneur by starting a small business has never been easier. But managing that business, however small it is, is a much more difficult task. Being your own boss gives you a lot of freedom since you get to decide what to do and when to do it. Yet, it is a form of slavery as well because you will likely need to be involved 24/7, in a way.
Did you know that the failure rate for small businesses is going up in Australia? One of the reasons is that a lot of people who start a small business know nothing about keeping it afloat. They learn along the way but sometimes it’s hard to keep up.
If you have recently become an entrepreneur or you’re planning to become one, and you do not want to be part of these grim statistics, read our five pieces of advice below. They will increase your chances of running a long-lasting and successful business.
1. Avoid Expensive Loans
A lot of people start their businesses because they want to achieve financial independence and stability. At the same, the majority of newborn entrepreneurs take expensive loans from banks and hope to pay them back when their businesses kick off.
Your business is most vulnerable when you’re just starting out. Therefore, it is a bad idea to overload your budget with a massive loan you need to pay back. It’s better to postpone the launch of your business until you have saved some money. You can also use that extra time to develop your business strategy further.
2. Hire IT Professionals
Managing a successful business in the era of the Internet is impossible without IT professionals. It doesn’t matter if you have a digital business or an actual office — the Internet is going to play a significant role when it comes to reaching potential customers.
There are a lot of options for you to outsource your IT services in Perth to companies that will do all the hard work for you. As we’ve mentioned, when just starting out, your business can fail for minor reasons. Therefore, online security and data protection are things you should take seriously; don’t handle them by yourself if you do not have previous experience.
3. Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
You should have a fully developed plan in place before you start your business. This plan should consist of both short-term and long-term goals you should aim to achieve. These goals will help you become aware of your priorities and realize what you need to focus on at a given time. That way, it will be much easier for you to approach your business strategically and avoid utter chaos.
Make sure that your goals are realistic but don’t make them too easy. Setting goals that are easily achievable will demotivate you. On the other hand, biting off more than you can chew means you could easily lose control over things.+
4.Appoint Clear Roles
It’s tempting to avoid hiring people and try to do a lot of things by yourself in order to save money. However, it’s very important not to do that. If your finances allow it, you should hire new workers whenever there is a need for that. Moreover, all of your employees need to have clear roles and understand where their responsibilities begin and where they end.
By appointing clearly defined roles, your employees will be more efficient and better at what they do. New employees will also fit in more easily because they will know exactly what their job is and who to contact when they need help with something.
5. Conduct Team-Building Activities
Team-building activities are becoming more and more popular, especially in smaller companies. It is one of the things Forbes suggests as a way to increase employee productivity. By organizing team-building events, you will create a much healthier social and work environment. Numerous studies have shown that employees work much more efficiently when they get along well.
A good idea for a team-building activity is to go outside and spend some time in nature. That’s where people feel most relaxed. Plus, there are a lot of ways to make things fun by playing games or sports. You should try to do that at least once a year, or more if there is enough time and money to do so.
