HOW TO BECOME A BUSINESSMAN
Firstly, it doesn’t make a difference how many courses you may take to ” become a businessman”. There is no quick fix for becoming a business man, unless you enter a black market industry!
You must work extremely hard, both physically and mentally for a long time.
You must experience sleepless nights because of money matters.
You must experience many set backs but more importantly, know how to bounce back.
You must be willing to live on the bread line until such a time comes that your business can pay a decent wage.
If you really want to become a “businessman” forget all the lay-de-da bull**** that surrounds the cliché of fine suit wearing, BMW driving, PDA “businessmen”. (Some of) These guys have worked hard at their chosen careers through college and university and have become business men by been good in their chosen fields.
I started my business with no real business orientated qualifications (A certificate in professional cookery, to be precise!) 3 years ago. And its been a very interesting 3 years. You learn from everything you do to become a business man.Here is a summary of some important tips to follow:
*Sit down and decide what you are good at.
*Decide the bare minimum wage you can personally survive on.
*Look closely at your commitments like family, mortgages, loans and stuff like that. They don’t just go away because you decide to start a business.
*Don’t just dive into an idea – research, research, research – competition, costs, market,
*Do a business plan. Don’t get put off by the mad, complicated ones you’ll find online. Most of those are just there to scare the **** out of you and then offer the solution for only 19 dollars and 99 cents!!! Check out business plan templates on http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/St…sinessPlan.htm
*Become very closely acquainted with your computer and the internet – The internet has everything anyone needs – you just have to look closely.
*If you are not an accountant, don’t pretend to be one. Have a look in local free ads papers, there are plenty of small start-up accountants looking for small company work, who don’t charge a kidney! This is one of these most important things you can do.
*Get a business partner you can trust and work with. Before registering your company or any of that legal stuff, work and research your business with your business partner. This will tell you a lot about what you are letting yourself in for.
*Have fun. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, don’t do it. You’ll only have a nervous breakdown!
*Don’t listen to the sales pitches of media organisations such as newspapers, magazines, online directories & GAA calendar companies! They will offer the sun, moon and holy ghost if you advertise with them. Bull****. They are sales people, making a sale.
*Advertising – Unless you have major start-up funds, take advertising slowly. Start with small services section adverts and keep them consistent. You could go out and blow 3000euro on one full colour single page advert in a newspaper or you could avail of 30 weeks advertising in weekly papers at a cost of 100euro an ad?? Budget everything!
*Very important – Get an office away from your home!!! Unless you are a very self-disciplined person, who is a master at time management, running a business from home will drive you mental. You will spend all day trying to work while been distracted by things like clothes you forgot to wash, a dishwasher that needs filling, a spouse/ partner / child that needs feeding, a carpet that needs hovering…and the list goes on! Go to work and work. Come home and leave work at work!
*Sunday is not a day off – its a day for getting ahead of the up-coming week.
*Holidays are things other people have. You will get yours in time and appreciate them a 100 times more.
*Back up and keep safe everything you ever put into a computer. It only take a split second to loose everything you have worked hard for. Believe me, a small, external hard drive is a small companies best friend.
*Be nice to everybody, even if you think they are an ass. You will never know when you may need them.
*Start collecting business contacts. Go to network evenings(free ones preferably), contact existing companies you may need, hand out business cards like sweets (without been a dick, of course), keep safe business cards you receive.
*Present yourself well. I don’t mean rush out and buy an Armani suit, just take notice of you appearance, because no matter what people say, when dealing with customers, first impressions ALWAYS last. Razor blades don’t cost a fortune and you’ll find entire smart outfits in Dunne’s stores for under 100euro! Oh, and unless you are involved in highly successful, multi-million euro business, don’t show up to meet your customers in a flash ass car, because they will think you are there to rip them off!
*Don’t ever bounce a cheque. People will always remember a cheque coming back to them in the post with a big red stamp saying “Refer to Drawer”! If you don’t have the funds in your account, bull**** your way around writing the cheque in the first place. Most business bank accounts are now available to view online so you can keep a 24hour watch on your funds.
*Get a website, no excuses. However, don’t go near the big companies, they will only make you and your 1 or 2 thousand euros feel like mere pennies. Check out smaller web design guys, you’ll be surprised what you can get for your money.
*Haggle the price of everything and expect your customers to do the same. Include this in you pricing. Don’t be a pain in the arse though, your not buying and selling gates out of the back of a hi-ace!
*Use your imagination and bull**** everything. Believe me, it works. But, never ever ever say you can do something and not do it. Bull**** in the heat of the moment and go and learn after!
*Write everything down. Keep a year planner / diary hardback A4 book. Keep names, dates, numbers and appointments safer than you would your children!
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL (i read this somewhere) – NEVER MAKE DECISIONS WITH YOUR HEART, YOU’LL ONLY END UP WITH HEART DISEASE.
