The simple reality is that being a business person or an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone—and that’s perfectly fine. We all have different roles to play and tasks to fulfill, and not being a person who deals with business is fine. If you’ve long been wondering if getting into the business industry is for you or have already dipped your toes in it, here are some thoughts to consider on whether it’s truly the right path for you.
You Don’t Like to Take Risks
Business ownership is equally tied to risks and uncertainties. If you do not have the confidence, resolve, and mental fortitude needed to pursue entrepreneurship, you need to work on these skills first and then come back later. In business, you won’t be boxed in an 8-to-5 job with fixed set of tasks and responsibilities. You need to be constantly learning and looking for ways to improve your work. Just like how artists hone their skills through constant practice, so do business people who need to work on their self-improvement and innovation.
You’re Not Ready to Put Yourself Out There
Speaking of confidence, resolve, and mental fortitude, you will have to constantly and consistently put yourself out there as a business person. You need to build a network, establish your reputation, speak with investors, deal with clients, etc. Essentially, you will be working with (and even against) a lot of people. If the thought of it makes you feel anxious, it can mean either of two things: you’re excited and can’t wait, or you’re not ready to face the challenge.
You Think It’s Easy Money
Many people think of becoming business savvy in hopes of making it big, but not as many people see the financial stress it brings. Credit debt, managing funds, forecasting risks, doing taxes, researching, and marketing all involve money and need to be done in business. While you think you can just hire people to do it for you, there’s the problem right there: do you have the funds to hire other people?
You Don’t Have Enough Business or Marketing Know-How
When we want to take weightlifting seriously, we hire a training coach to help us. If we want to improve the landscaping in our backyard, we hire reliable gardeners to do it for us. We hire professionals to do things for us because they have both the skill and experience to accomplish it. This is something that’s very much necessary in business. Running a company requires you to learn continuously. If you’re entering as a blank slate, it can prove to be quite the challenge.
You Have No Idea What Business You Want
Let’s face it: being an entrepreneur has a reputation of being glamorous and filled with excitement and wonder. But as mentioned before, it involves a lot of mundane but hard work. It requires a lot of thinking about business ideas, planning their execution, and actually doing it. If you simply want to be an entrepreneur but can’t really think of what kind of business you want to do, then it’s back to the drawing board.
You Like to Envision a Lot, But You Don’t Act on Those Ideas
Successful business people are often described as visionary and years ahead of their time. The usual success story involves a eureka moment, a million-dollar idea, and the drive to make it happen. It’s important that whatever business idea you have, you act on it. There is little use and impact for a great design that stays in only one person’s head. When you’ve thought of your million-dollar idea, think about how you can execute it. Lay down the steps you need to take and start working on those steps little by little.
You’re a People Pleaser
As mentioned earlier, you will constantly be dealing with people. Many will believe in your vision and follow your lead, but there will always be people who will challenge that vision. A common misconception about successful people is that they are charismatic and, therefore, likable. Understand that those two words do not mean the same thing. Some people can be naturally charismatic and easily draw people toward them. However, they might not be particularly likable or kind. They might even be cold and ruthless when it comes to their goals. Being a people pleaser as an entrepreneur will only lead to your ruin, so it’s best to work on that before you start your business.
This isn’t meant to discourage you from following your dreams. Instead, it’s to allow you to focus and look at what you want in an analytic and objective way. You can only achieve your dreams when there’s a clear goal in front of you, and self-confrontation is the first step to that.