Too many start-up enthusiasts consider launching a new company as a random walk into a business field. However, when turning the idea into concrete results, they encounter many barriers to initiating their business. Though rewarding, all these challenges are complex. Well-versed people in business must also deal with them no matter how long they have been in entrepreneurial activities when starting an entirely new business. Here are the four most common initial obstacles entrepreneurs face when turning their passion into a business activity.
Financing
Experienced entrepreneurs have a few advantages over newcomers but still lack sufficient resources to fund their new business. This is because you will be starting from scratch. Without money, you can hardly purchase the domain of your business website. Finance serves as the fuel to ignite your idea. Hence, it would help if you often used it to turn the idea into a giant, fiery business.
Fortunately, there are many ways by which you can arrange finances to launch your new start-up, including:
- Crowdfunding: There are various crowdfunding sites, like Kickstarter, Fundable, and Indiegogo, that can help you generate funds of hundreds and thousands of dollars.
- Family and friends: Your family and friends always help and support your dreams. You can approach them to obtain a loan, often without interest payments.
- Credit cards: Though helpful, a credit card provides a temporary solution between launching your business and obtaining other funds, such as a bank loan.
- Bank financing: A bank loan is one of the most common ways people adapt to raise capital for their business.
- Venture capital: Many venture capitalists are willing to invest in your business when you have a robust business plan and a powerful vision.
- Business partner: You may have a potential idea but not enough reserves to put that into execution. You might know someone who believes in your idea, has a good relationship with you, and has enough funds to start a new business. Then, partnering with that person may be a good idea.
- Second mortgage: Home equity lines of credit or a second mortgage should be your last resort when other options are not working out or are insufficient to initiate the business.
Teambuilding
Teambuilding is primarily the most demanding skill to nurture when you have never run or led a team before. Moreover, even though you have good management experience, selecting the right pool of team members for your new business is often stressful and difficult. It is not simply about filling specific roles; you must bear their costs, effectively communicate your business goals to them, and make the most out of them. Such considerations are significantly hard when rushing to fill the positions as early as possible.
Here are some ways to build a great team in a shorter period for your business start-up:
- Offer stock options: When you cannot meet their salary needs, offer them equity in your business. This will boost motivation and will give you competent teammates.
- Employ interns: When you can offer great work, mentorship, and guidance, hiring interns is a smart alternative to heavily paid team members.
- Hire students, part-time employees, or contractors: When you cannot afford full-time workers, acquire contractors, part-time team members, or students instead.
- Defer compensation: You must be careful with the wording of your offer letters for hiring employees on deferred compensation. You also must ensure that there is no breach of any laws.
- Inspire others to join you: When you lack funds, then at the very least, you should have a compelling vision with extraordinary goals that will inspire and motivate others to be part of your start-up and support you.
Cut-throat Competition
The corporate world is quite terrible with fierce competition, which poses one of the biggest hurdles for the launching and survival of start-up businesses. There is always some level of competition among businesses of the same nature. And when you are a new online business, the competition gets more challenging. However, you can remarkably beat your competitors with an inspiring vision, energetic team, unique service solutions, and outstanding customer service.
Here are two practical ways to overcome business competition:
- Focus on your customer needs: Nothing can help a business grow if you cannot sell your products or services to your customers. Focus on your clients’ needs and develop a unique service solution that eases their lives. Everyone avoids the hassle, and so is your customer. Improve your products compared to what is already available in the market and make the most of the technology to sell more smartly, making the purchase hassle-free.
- Make it appear unique: People love tasting new things. When you launch a product with unique features and details that distinguish it from similar products, you tempt your customers to buy from you.
Business Registration
Business registration is quite time-consuming and a complex part of initiating a business. Some businesses have such a peculiar nature that they cannot be launched without prior registration. Legal approval is required, such as with medical facilities, bookkeeping, auditing consultancy, and educational institutes, regardless of how small their businesses are. It is more frightening for those entrepreneurs who have never been through legal processes. To avoid this complicated start-up registration process issue and other legal requirements, hiring a personal legal consultant is wise. A legal adviser will handle these matters on your behalf and help you launch your business seamlessly.
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