Being a start-up founder is often thought one of the coolest things in business. After all, most of the technology giants that you know – from Google to Facebook and YouTube – were all once start-ups. The idea can be pretty appealing, but the work can be intensive and challenging. You must also acknowledge that the results will not come out as planned.
But you might be adamant about starting a tech start-up or open a lawn care franchise that you can eventually scale up. No one’s stopping you, though! But you need to keep in mind a couple of things that will help increase your chances of success as you build a start-up and try to make it work.
Here are some of them:
Work for a start-up
What better way to understand how start-ups work than working for one. Start-ups, especially those at the early stage, have different work dynamics compared to established businesses. If you work for one, you will realize that you will be wearing different hats. And that is a good thing, as it means you will be able to expand your skills. This is a nice preparation because you will surely be taking on different roles when you become a founder. If getting employed as a regular employee is quite difficult, try applying for an internship.
Look for mentors
Start-up founders are not basically self-made people. They don’t do things on their own. They source their knowledge from experienced people and industry insiders who have the network. This means that you will need to look for a mentor or two. In case you’re already working for a start-up, don’t be afraid to express your desire to build your own business eventually. Who knows, your bosses will likely provide you with valuable pieces of advice. Some start-up founders actually believe in the philosophy of paying it forward.
Find the right partners
You can start your start-up on your own, but you have a better shot at things when you have partners. This is because they might have skills that you don’t have. They can be family members or friends (though you need to be very careful with this). But you can also find potential partners in industry events and competitions, such as hackathons and coding challenges. When finding a partner, go for someone who shares the same vision as yours and has a skill set that complements yours.
Take business classes
What if you want to be a start-up founder, but you do not have business acumen? You can always enroll in business classes. This does not have to be an MBA degree, as there are certificate options that will allow you to get to know the basics of business. You can enroll in your local community college or sign up for online classes.
Build from the ground up
If you want to become a start-up founder, understand that your journey will be filled with some challenges. But remember that these challenges will strengthen you and make you wiser. You will also find people who will serve as supporters and valuable allies.
