“If you think you can, you can.  And if you think you can’t, you’re right.”

- Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

Doubt can be a major roadblock when it comes to starting a business.  Doubt usually leads to negative thoughts about your abilities as an entrepreneur, which leads to inaction.  Inaction means another day passes without taking steps toward business ownership.  Doubt will cause you to stay in a career situation that isn’t satisfying.  All of these things lead to missed opportunities.

Be positive, look for inspiration, find a mentor, take action, and don’t let doubt delay your entrepreneurial dreams.  If you don’t think you can have the business you’ve always wanted, then who will?

Tags: doubt, entrepreneurial dreams, fear, inspirational quote, mary kay ash, Starting a business, take action, Women entrepreneurs

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.  Don’t make money your goal.  Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”  – Maya Angelou

Tags: Business Ideas, do what you love, inspirational quote, Passion, Starting a business, Women entrepreneurs

I’m still recovering from a nice long weekend of mingling with 100+ relatives at my family reunion in Ohio.  It was a great weekend and I had a great time but, I always need time to recover when it’s over.  However, my recovery time will be short this year because next year’s reunion is in Atlanta, GA.  Guess what I’ll be working on in my spare time for the next 12 months!!!  One of the many perks of owning a business is being able to arrange a schedule that will accommodate taking on a project like that!

I always ask the following question of would-be clients and anyone else that tells me they want to start a business.  WHY do you want to start a business? There are just as many answers to that question as there are people that respond.  Everyone has their own answer or reason for wanting to start a business.  Some reasons are deeply personal and complicated. Still, others are pretty basic and cookie-cutter. Through it all, I’ve found that a lot of the reasons tend to fall in 3 general categories.

1.  A More Flexible Schedule

You may have children and want to be able to spend more time with your family.  In my case, my mother was ill and lived 4 hours away and I wanted to be able to care for her and spend time with her.  Some may want to have more time for travel and doing the things you like to do.  Regardless, having a business where you are in more control of your time is a very desirable perk.

2.  Pursue A Passion

It’s easy to find ourselves just going through the motions when we are doing something that doesn’t interest us or feeds our need to do something meaningful.  Many would-be entrepreneurs want to turn a passion of theirs into a business.  They want to feel as if they are adding value and doing more than contributing to a corporate bottom line.  Owning a business allows many to be creative and spread their wings.  In the end, most of us want to do something that makes a difference and gives us a feeling of pride as we watch it grow from conception to a profitable business.

3.  Long-Term Financial Freedom

We’ve all heard that you’ll never get rich working for someone else.  Many people want to be able to create, build, and grow their own wealth as opposed to being dependent upon a paycheck.  The current state of the economy reminds us that there are no guarantees.  Today, there are many people who lost jobs and/or retirement nest eggs and they are turning to entrepreneurship as a means to start over and hopefully, lead them to future financial freedom.

What are your reasons for starting a new business?  Why do you want to take that leap from employee to business owner?  What do you hope to accomplish in your new venture?  Make sure you really consider the answers to these questions and others before taking the plunge.  You want to be sure you do it because it’s right for you and you are ready to do the work.  Your reasons for starting your business should mean enough to you to serve as inspiration and motivation to keep you going and help you set goals that will lead you to success.

Tags: financial freedom, flexible schedule, Passion, Starting a business, Women entrepreneurs

Many women who think of starting a business never do because they get stuck trying to come up with a good business idea.  I’ve talked to and worked with women who want to turn a hobby into a business.  Others want to do something that will simply make them money despite the fact they are not particularly interested in the subject.  Still, others just want to start a business that’s in their current field because it will be the easiest thing to do.  I have one word for all of you women entrepreneurs out there trying to decide what kind of business to start…PASSION!

How many of you have bought a blouse that was on sale but, it wasn’t really your style?  How many times did you end up wearing that blouse or is it still in your closet with the tag on it? You’ve only worn it once or not at all because you didn’t really like it.  The color is not really you and that neckline is not the most flattering.  It seemed like a good idea at the time because it was on sale; however, you’re not getting any use or satisfaction out of owning it.

Imagine starting a business that you don’t really about or one that doesn’t get you excited.  That would probably make for some very long days.  You have to do something that excites you and makes you want to get out of the bed in the morning.  You should look forward to opening the doors or logging on to your site everyday.

Having your own business is supposed to be fun, satisfying, and gratifying.  If you start a business that you care nothing about and it’s just work to you, then all you’ve created for yourself is another job. There are many other things you can do to get another job that won’t require the time and effort it takes to run a business.  Running a business is hard work so, you should at least enjoy what you are doing.

What are you passionate about?  What makes you feel good?  What were you born to do?  Doing something that you’re passionate about doesn’t exempt you from having a viable product or service and a market that will be interested in buying it.  However, if you are not passionate about what you’re doing and you don’t believe in your product, you will probably struggle with making sales anyway.

Starting your own business is about you and your desires for your future, not somebody else’s dreams.  You’ve got to be excited about it, look forward to doing it, have fun doing it, and feel a sense of purpose when it’s done.  Otherwise, you can just keep your day job.  Figure out what gets your heart pumping and start there.  Once you get your business up & running, you’ll be glad that you’re spending those 16 hours a day doing something that you love.

Tags: Inspiration, Passion, Starting a business, Startup Tips, Women entrepreneurs