The get-rich-quick mail-order business kits advertised in the back of magazines work hard to convince you that it’s possible to rake in $2,000 a day while sitting at home in your bunny slippers, working only an hour or two each day. The truth is, in most cases, succeeding in business is due to lots of hard work, not the amount of money you’re able to invest.
If you have lots of cash to start your business, that’s great; you’ll avoid some of the more harrowing times that result when a client’s check is late arriving and payroll is due. It will also mean you have more energy to devote to your business because you don’t have to worry about where the money will come from.
And even though you may have some significant successes in the early days of running your business—winning new clients or pulling in sales that are double your projected figures—it does not necessarily mean you’re on the road to riches. On the contrary, because you’re so determined to make your business succeed, you’ll probably pour unexpected cash windfalls back into the company, whether it’s to upgrade a computer system, hire a new employee, or invest in more advertising.
Frequently, finding the money to start a business is not the major problem that many people think it is; through a combination of creativity, negotiation, and some fancy footwork, banks, credit cards, and family can indeed come through for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Business Tender Care
Why do you hear so many entrepreneurs refer to their businesses as their babies? Well, think about it: After all, you gave birth to it and raised it and actively influenced its direction and growth in its formative years. Don’t parents do the same thing with their children? Once you get your business off the ground, you will never question why so many entrepreneurs refer to their companies as their babies.
One of the great perks of entrepreneurial success is when you glance back fondly at your chaotic early days and find that you’ve blocked out all the stress, strain, and lack of sleep that were necessary to propel you to the helm of a thriving company in the first place. Much like parenthood.
