I was speaking with a potential client recently. She had a ton of experience in her field, was a very smart person and was a blast to talk to. Then she said she had a 15 year plan to start her own business.
I challenged her a bit and asked if she was already more than 10 years into that plan? She laughed like I was crazy. That was not an intentionally crazy question, I was serious.
This conversation went on as I asked her what would need to happen for her to start her business within the next year. She had no real answer why it could not, outside of financing. That lead to a conversation about where she could get some startup capital. She had many options both from her network as well as the options available to everyone through a myriad of different programs. The money should never be the problem when starting a business.
I am not sure if my advice will ring at the right pitch to get her to use her awesome talents and start her business. The fear that can cause people to pause a bit (or 15 years) is strong. You do not need to overcome that fear. You need to move past it. Every person that has ever started a business had fear. She was another potential business owner that was looking over the edge of success and thinking that it looked like an awfully steep drop.
You cannot fly without having your feet leave the ground.
If you know of someone that is considering starting a business, find out what is preventing them from doing so. Challenge them to get their business started. The time is rarely perfect. The time is always now.
They may hate you a bit for challenging them. They will love you after they make the jump and see how high they can fly. And that’s pretty cool.
James is a Business Coach for Draw In Customers Business Coaching in Madison, Wisconsin. When he isn’t telling people to start their dream business, he helps them achieve success in business and beyond. He blogs successfully to the world at www.drawincustomers.com. If you are considering hiring a business coach, take a moment to call James at (608)210-2221. Smile, your entrepreneurial friends love you.
