Starting a Business - 5 Things You Need to Be Prepared For

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Entrepreneurs can be so involved in the starting of the business, that they soon learn there are a few things that they did not plan for. My article will give you the five things you need to prepare for to help you avoid that overwhelming feeling from poor planning.

1 - Funding - Many entrepreneurs fail to plan for the amount of money they will need, to not only start, their business, but cover their living expenses during the startup phase.
Tip: Plan out whole long will it take you to start making an income. It is a good rule of thumb to save at least 6 months living expenses and payoff off what you can, before walking away from your steady paycheck.
2 - Sales Skills - Do you have the ability to close a sale? Do you need to brush up on your sales skills? Many entrepreneurs are used to "doing" the work, but not "getting" the work. In corporate America, you had a sales and marketing department. Now you are the sales and marketing department.
Tip: During your start-up phase, develop a marketing plan. Start out with a monthly plan. Review the plan at the end of the month to see what is working and what needs to be revamped.
3 - Sacrifices - To achieve your goals, you will have to make some sacrifices. This could include tightening the budget, less time with friends, or no TV in order to have more money and time for building your business.
Tip: Have a meeting with your friends and family to let them know of your plans to start your business.
4 - Long Hours - Many new entrepreneurs fail to plan for the time involved in starting a business. Most start-ups tend to manage all aspects of running the business themselves. Always take a break when necessary to avoid burnout.
Tip: Remember all of the long hours you put in at your old corporate job? Just remember, this is for you now!
5 - The Long Haul - Be in it for the long haul. There will be a lot of roadblocks that occur during your journey into entrepreneurship. Be prepared for anything.
Tip: Join some networking groups. This will allow you meet like minded people who can talk to.

Julie Barnes is a entrepreneur, writer, and artist. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E - the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kittey Sammy.
Visit Julie's site today at http://www.julieabarnes.com and grab your FREE copy of "So You Want to Start a Business...Now What?"

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