1. Application
No
matter what people say true success does not come easily. Like
everything in life, if you really want something you are going to have
to work for it and put in the time and effort. There is nothing wrong
with a little bit of hard work and everyone who has gone into business
for themselves will tell you it is one of the toughest things they have
ever done in life.
2. Believe in yourself
There
is no point in going into business for yourself if you do not have any
confidence or self-belief. When you set up your own company the only
person you have to answer to is yourself - which means confidence is
vital. If you do not believe in yourself and your product or service,
then how can you get others to put their faith in you?
3. Be creative
If
you want to be truly successful then you have to be prepared to stand
out from the crowd. Although I have always believed that an idea doesn't
have to be brand new, the best businesses will still have a strong USP
that sets them apart from competitors. Creativity is one of the most
valuable qualities any person in the business world can have.
4. Be there first
It
is a competitive world out there those who are not out of the traps
quickly are the ones who are going to get left behind. I have always
believed in striking first. Once you have established what the best
course of action is, there is no point in being cautious because it will
give your competitors the chance to get in there before you and win
that vital piece of work or contract.
5. Build a brand
When
I set up my first firm, the first thing I did was to go out and rent an
office in the best part of London, as an address in Mayfair is great to
put on a business card. The actual room itself was tiny and windowless,
but nobody knew this as I arranged for meetings to take place away from
the office. When it comes to doing business, building a brand and a
good reputation is vital. Once you have done this, you will find things a
lot easier, as most of us prefer to deal with people or companies that
are recognised and trusted.
6. Seek advice
It
is impossible to be an expert in every field and there is nothing wrong
with seeking advice when you are struggling. When you are starting out
in business it can be great to speak to someone who has years of
experience behind them. If you ask for help you will usually find that
people are more than happy to give their time and their expertise.
7. Get organised
Running
a successful business can be very stressful and demanding and one of
the most important resources you will have is your time. If you want to
get the most out of your working day then you need to be properly
organised and you also need to make sure you are not wasting precious
time on tasks that can always be delegated to someone else.
8. Don’t run before you can walk
When
you first start in business there is a tendency to grab every piece of
work which comes your way, which can be a potentially fatal mistake.
First of all you need to make sure that when you negotiate a contract
there is a decent margin. Although you want to make your mark, there is
no point in taking on work that does not yield a worthwhile profit. More
importantly don’t take on more work than you can manage. It is one of
the most common mistakes in business and can prove to be very costly.
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