MeMag June 2014.pdf Jun. 2014 | Page 16

BE BE by Jemimah Adesina for that business and acquire them through training. ▶ How do I manage cost and overhead expenses? ▶ Start small and grow; this helps you understand the dynamics of the business and helps reduce the weight of your loss in the beginning stages. ▶ Learn from other peoples experiences i.e. seek advice, read other peoples success stories, books etc. W atching ‘The Apprentice’ by Donald Trump and understanding the concept of starting a business on your own, brings home the realities of being an entrepreneur. Everybody desires and hopes to build a business and the desire is not sufficient enough. Certain factors contribute in making an entrepreneur successful. For you to begin the process of entrepreneurship, you need to do the following: ▶ Write down your vision clearly. ▶ Identify the types of businesses that are around you with the same concept and identify what makes yours better. ▶ Prepare a business plan ▶ Identify the necessary skill needed ▶ What remittances to government and other public agents am I obliged to give. Focus: because there will be a lot of ‘To be or not to be’ is the question to ask oneself not in the way that suggests that you should never be an entrepreneur but rather what ways can you help yourself in the process of becoming an entrepreneur. One way is to be an employee before becoming an employer. You may ask why. Understanding the structure of any business is as important as the business. Many businesses today lack structure which is the bane of success for any idea or vision that you have. In a structured environment you would learn the following: ▶ What kind of management system is best for the organisation you want to set up ▶ What financial accounting system you need to put in place. ▶ How do I handle staff welfare issues (salaries, taxes etc). J U N E 2 0 1 4 MeMag | These among other things you would get in order to help structure your business for success. Being an entrepreneur requires focus, diligence and tenacity, of which are not a walk in the park. distractions along the way, seeming better opportunities in other institutions, your flaws will be pointed out and emphasised which is a major distraction and so on Diligence: this is a principle of life in which the option of escaping is not available except for the instance of the lack of desirability to succeed, but if that is your intention, to succeed, you cannot escape being diligent taking time to make sure you are consistent although not at the expense of change. Embrace change but be consistent when the change is made. Tenacity: you can refer to it as un- wavering faith and belief in the business you are about to start and you will not be wrong. Regardless make sure that you do not let go of the tenets or premise of which will constitute the foundation for which every other thing will be built on. For in the time of trouble and wind cracking nerve racking travails they will be all that is left to hold on to. So take the time to count the cost before build so that you will be sure of your foundation and rest in your building. facebook.com/memagazine09 @memagtwit ‚