Editor’s
notes
“Purpose is when you know and
understand what you were born to
accomplish. Vision is when you see
it in your mind and begin to imagine it.”
T
he beginning of any journey
in life is ignited by seeing a
“big picture” in mind. That
becomes the catalyst that
drives us towards the ultimate goal.
As a person that is on a similar journey (through the KWG magazine as
well as other KWG business initiatives), I wanted to share some of
the things that I found useful in the
initial stages of building.
The list is by no means an exhaustive
one but I am of the view that by
putting some of these elements in
place, readers that are in the process of starting new initiatives will
greatly benefit from this read, more
especially those starting their entrepreneurial journey.
The aim of our first edition was to
challenge aspiring entrepreneurs to
take a step and just start. It is said
that a journey of a thousand miles
start with the first step. It’s astonishing how many dreams died because that first step was never taken. Now that we have taken that all
important first step, we need to
determine how we will shape the
beginning; hence the theme of this
edition is Laying the foundation.
These are some of the proposed foundational elements that I found critical in shaping the beginning (in no
particular order): -
1. WRITING A CLEAR VISION
Dr. Myles Munroe defined vision as an
imaginative element and he said,
It is clear that having a “big picture” in
mind is crucial. Therefore, a vision
should be: Inspirational, clear, memorable and
concise;
Communicative in order for it to be
memorable and;
Be no more than 15 words
2. AS A MAN THINKETH, SO IS HE
Pay careful attention to what you feed
your mind. Be very selective in
what you read, listen to and the
people that surround you. Ensure
that you only consume what inspires you to reach your desired
goal for your business. A famous
biblical proverb says “Keep company with the wise and you will become wise…” (Proverbs 13:20).
3. UNDERSTAND YOUR INDUSTRY
Begin to do the research that will help
you position your business for success. Set out a list thing you need to
understand and need to do in order
to give your business the best
chance for growth. This list will not
be conclusive but will have to be
reviewed as the business grows
through different stages. The list
will be influenced by the type of
industry you operate in and this will
comprise of, but not limited, to the
following:
Engagements in business forums – to
provide insight into the industry.
Review of media platforms – to be
able to identify "how are you different to your competitor?"
Constant market research – to assess
if your business idea is still compati-
ble to the market
Identification of technology changes does the revolution in technology
impact on your original idea?
Review of similar existing businesses –
understand what enables them to
be successful or not.
4. NETWORK
Networking is about making connections and building enduring, mutually beneficial relationships. Therefore, pursue likeminded business
people whom you can trust. Be willing to serve as a resource and help
others to succeed.
Here are five (5) reasons why you
should invest your time in networking:
Friendship benefits
Creation of opportunities
Free Advice
Skills Maturity
Creditability – Positive Influence
5. BE ACCOUNTABLE
Identify a coach/mentor because it is
important to have one, in order to
keep track of your progress and be
accountable for your planned action list. This will assist you to identify your blind spot or areas which
you did not consider and begin to
tackle them.
When all of the above have been put
into action and other aspects have
been gathered during the building
of the foundational stage; success
is inevitable.