9StepsThatWillHelpYourChanceso

　　标题：9StepsThatWillHelpYourChancesofStartingaSuccessfulBusiness
　　source：entrepreneur丨CarolRoth
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　　Ifyouareunemployed，underemployedorunhappilyemployed，theideaoftakingcontrolandbecomingyourownbossmightbesoundingprettysexyrightaboutnow。Plus，thepastdecadehasshownusthatjobsaren’tquiteasdependableasperhapswepreviouslythought。
　　However，thesuccessratesfornewbusinessarequitescarytoo，withthemajorityofallnewbusinessesfailinginjustafewyears’time。Whilethereisnevergoingtobea“surething，”ifyouarethinkingofleavingyourjobtohangoutyourownshingle，therearesignificantbenefitstopreparingbeforeyoutaketheleap。
　　Hereareninewaystomakesurethatyouarepreparedbeforeyoustartyourownbusiness，sothatyoucangiveyourselfthebestchancestosucceed。Theseareadaptedfrommybestsellingbook，TheEntrepreneurEquation。
　　1。Defineandevaluateyourgoals。
　　Youcan’tfigureoutapathtogetsomewhereifyoudon’tknowwhereitisyouwanttogetto。Plus，onceyouhavethatgoal，youneedtoknowifyourpathisthemostdirectroutetoachievingwhatyouwant。
　　Askyourselftoughquestionsaboutwhyyoureallywanttostartabusiness。Areyoulookingtogetrichquick？Doyouwanttoshowcaseyourtalent，newproductideaorservice？Areyoutiredofyourbosstakingcreditforwhatyoudo？
　　Thesekindsofgoalsmightleadyoudownthewrongpath。Ontheotherhand，ifyoulovetheideaofrunninganentity，ifyoulikecreatingsystemsandprocedures，adoreservicingcustomersandifyouthriveonwearingmanydifferenthatsandbalancingresponsibilities，thenentrepreneurshipcouldbetheperfectpathforyou。
　　2。Stashsomecash。
　　Thecostofstartingabusinessinmanyindustrieshascomedownsubstantially。However，thatisonlypartofthestory。Businessesoftentakeafewyearstogainasolidfoundation，soyouneedtohaveenoughmoneytostartthebusiness，operateitwhileitstabilizesandalsobeabletolive。
　　Ifyoudon’thavethemoneyyourself，identifywhetheryouhavecredibleaccesstocapital。Thedownturnhasmadeitmoredifficulttosecurefinancingandyoudon’twanttobethreemonthsintoabusinessandhavetodecidewhethertokeepthebusinessopenorpayyourrentormortgagethat’salosingproposition。
　　3。Getrelevantexperience。
　　Beingabletomanageemployeesandvendorsisthetypeofskillyou’llneedtoacquirebeforestartingyourownbusiness。You’llalsoneedtoknowyourindustryinsideandout，includingaspectsthatyoumaynotbefamiliarwithorevenlike，includingmarketing，accountingandmore。
　　Don’thavetheexperience？Spendtimeworkinginasimilarcompany，shadowabusinessownerinyourindustryortakeajobonnightsandweekendsinacomparablebusiness。Testthewatersfirstwithatrialrunbeforeyoustartyourowncompany。
　　4。Buildyournetwork。
　　Businesssometimescomesdowntonotwhatyouknow，butwhomyouknow。Ifyoudon’tknowmanypeopleorifyoujusthaven’twarmedupyourcontactsinawhile，nowisthetimetofocusonbuildingasolidnetwork。
　　Strongconnectionscanprovidevaluablebusinessadviceandprovideintroductionstogetyoumorefavorablefinancing，prices，termsandconditionsfrombusinesssuppliersandprofessionalservices。Connectionsareyourbestsourceofmarketingandcustomerreferrals，whichiscriticalforanewbusiness。
　　5。Knowyourself。
　　Doyoupreferthe“statusquo”andliketoavoidtheunexpected？Canyouhandlealifeofhighsandlowsincludingfinancialhighsandlows？Couldyoursavingsandbankaccounthandlefinanciallowsaswell？
　　Ifyouareapersonwholikesstabilityandcontrol，orifyoupreferwhenthingsgoasplanned，therollercoasterrideofanewbusinessmaynotberightforyou。Behonestaboutyourpersonalitybeforeyoutaketheleap。
　　6。Visityourlawyer。
　　Ifyouaregoingtogointoabusinessthatcompetes（directlyorevenindirectly）withyourcurrentemployerorifyouplantocallonpriorcustomersorcontacts，youmayfindyourselfinalegalbind，dependingonthepaperworkthatyouhavesignedwithyoucurrent（orprevious）employer。
　　Checkwithyourlawyertomakesurethatyouareintheclearortofindoutwhatyouneedtodotoavoidanystickylegalsituations。
　　7。Stalkthecompetition。
　　Beforeyouleapintoentrepreneurship，takeahardlookatthemarketplaceandyourcompetition。Isyourmarketsaturatedwithsuccessfulbusinesses？Isyourindustrylitteredwithsomanybadbusinessesthatit’sdevelopedabadreputation？
　　Bothgoodandbadcompetitorswillinfluencejusthowsuccessfulyourbusinesswillbe。Youwillneedtomarketandbrandyourbusinesstoshineabovethegoodcompetitorsandtomakeupforthebadones。
　　8。Testyouridea’sscalability。
　　Themostsuccessfulbusinessesrelyonautomationanddelegation。Willotheremployeesbeabletodoyourwork？Ifnot，canyouteachotherswhattodoinaneasytofollowformat？
　　Ifyourbusinessreliesonyourskills，andyourskillsalone，youmighthaveasuccessfuljob，butitmaynotbethatbusinessopportunityyouarelookingfor。
　　9。Sellfirst！
　　Toomanyentrepreneursspendtimeandmoneybuildingoutretailstores，manufacturingproductsordevelopingserviceofferingswithouttrulyassessingtheviabilityofthemarket。Seeifyoucangarnerinterest（intheformofpurchaseorders，deposits，etc。）beforeyouinvesttoomuchcapital。
　　Ifyouhavealotofinterestinyouroffering，therewillbelessriskinpursuingitfulltime。Ifyoudon’tgetanybites，youmaywanttorejiggeryouroffering，pricingorbusinessmodelbeforeinvestingyourfulltimeandeffort。
　　Puttinginthetimeandeffortupfronttostacktheoddsinyourfavorwillhelpyouavoidhavingoneofthosebusinessesthatendsupinthatpercentageoffailures。