considering becoming an entrepreneur? five questions to ask yourself  

In the last decade or two, entrepreneurship and startups have become popular. Becoming an entrepreneur has become extremely popular in recent years. Young entrepreneurs have changed the face of entrepreneurship. No longer do you need to be well into your forties to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have gotten younger since the 90s’. But for many of us, we see these entrepreneurs as enigmas. “The Social Network,” explored how different these people are. How bold their ideas are and for many of us, we feel we don’t fit in that bracket.

What if we aren’t socially awkward or feel young enough to become an entrepreneur? What if we don’t have time on our hand and what about the risk it all factor? If you are looking for a steady career path then entrepreneurship isn’t for you. If we are being honest. If you are doing this just to see if you can then you likely will fail. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, no matter how old you are. It takes time and the learning curve is steep. Most entrepreneurs make money after three to five years so if you want a get-rich scheme then this is the wrong profession.

This might not be something you wanted to hear. I do get that. But, I want to be as honest as I can with you so that you don’t attempt to do something you aren’t ready for. Here’s the great news, entrepreneurship is rewarding. It will open doors you never thought would open and you will learn so many skills from it that you will be shocked at what you can do. You will be shocked at what you learned as well. 

If you are still with me, that’s great news. You want to become an entrepreneur and here are a few questions you should ask yourself. These questions will confirm or deny your request to become an entrepreneur. It will also embolden you if this is something you truly want. Becoming an entrepreneur changed my life for the better and those who stick with it say the same thing. My eyes opened to the wonders of entrepreneurship and the opportunities no other profession can give you. It made me realize how my mindset was the one thing preventing me from succeeding.

Stick with me as we explore the five questions you need to ask yourself. Becoming an entrepreneur has a lot of benefits and you will see a few of them in the questions I ask.

Am I excited about next year

Late in 2018, I asked myself this question. I wasn’t excited about getting older, I don’t think anyone is unless you are in your early twenties. But, there I was looking at the calendar. Wondering how next year was going to be like. I had no idea what the future held for me or what I was going to do next. Every year I made resolutions, but I didn’t accomplish anything of significance. 

Maybe, I cut sugar out of my diet for a few months or picked up a new hobby. There was no challenge or excitement about what I could do. Since then I have picked up skills I never thought I would. I asked myself this question for me to figure out what I wanted. Becoming an entrepreneur requires being honest with where you are right now. Even if you are considering it. You need to be honest with where you are and where you want to be.

I didn’t want to complain about the same thing the next year. I didn’t want to feel as if I wasn’t living to my full purpose and I knew the only way to change that was to become an entrepreneur. So, I put on my thinker’s hat and started jotting down all the things I was interested in. And that was when I had a Eureka moment. It was staring at me and I didn’t realize it until I realized I wanted to become an entrepreneur.

Many of us aren’t excited about the new year. Whether it is the fact we hate or job or how every other year seems like a horror movie. 2019 and 2020 are proof of that. But what I can tell you is that becoming an entrepreneur does open your eyes to what is outside your safety zone. You will discover a world of like-minded individuals who are optimistic.

Do I have financial and emotional support

Entrepreneurship is lonely. Often, at times you will have emotional, but not financial support or vice versa. When I started I had emotional support. One of my oldest friends was by my side, she was my cheerleader. It is worse if you don’t have financial support because it can add the pressure of performing. 

Even if you don’t have either it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow your entrepreneurship dreams. You just need to know what is required of you. Entrepreneurship is hard. It requires long hours, frustration, the period of learning the hard way (even if you get a coach.) it does take a toll on you. The hardships you will endure will make you want to poke your eyes out. Graphic, but entrepreneurship can be like that.

However, when you stick with it you will grow incredibly. You will network with people who will change the way you see the world. Becoming an entrepreneur is hard, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. It often does because we choose to do this alone. In the beginning, it will be hard, but with time it gets easier. When it comes to financial support, there are ways to help you pay for entrepreneurship without breaking the bank. You can get a loan, sell your old stuff, sell books online and you could also provide a temporary service. Even if you don’t have financial or emotional support, there are ways around it so that you don’t feel as if you are in this alone. You aren’t. 

Also Related: 10 Ways To Finance Your Business?

 Am I willing to take risks

Entrepreneurship is risking. It involves you playing high stakes whether it is spending money on ads, website developers, graphic designers, or marketing. You will risk a lot when it comes to entrepreneurship. You will gain a lot, but not in the beginning. Often, it requires working long hours and you working on projects that don’t see the light of day.

All this is frustrating, but becoming an entrepreneur requires taking risks. Sometimes it pays off, but most times it doesn’t. This can take time to get used to, but here’s the thing, everything requires taking a risk. Some risks seem safer than others, but that doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee. That is why you got to believe what you are saying and know that there’s a reason for it. If you understand this then it won’t feel as if the risks you are taking won’t measure up.

Every entrepreneur took a risk to get to where they are right now. It was at that moment they understood that to truly live, requires them to take risks because if they don’t then they will always wonder.

Do I want to leave a legacy and create an impact?

This question will point you in the right direction. Becoming an entrepreneur is more about leaving an impact than making money. Sure, you might have reservations. But when you put that aside, do you have a strong calling? Is there a bigger reason to why you are doing what you are doing. Lisa Nichols main reason for becoming an entrepreneur was to change the fate of her son. She didn’t want him as a black male to end up dead or in prison. So, she wanted to change that so that they were financially secure.

That act changed her son’s life for the better. She changed the world for the better. A successful entrepreneur wants to achieve something bigger than themselves. Legacy and impact makers are what make the world different. You need to have a big why and that is what will push you to succeed. It will push you to follow through and encourage you to face the odds. They will be a lot of odds against you, but when you want to create an impact it will reduce the frustrations you have.

One of the best things about becoming an entrepreneur is knowing that you can change someone’s life, by creating an impact. Most of us forget this. That is the main reason why a lot of people become entrepreneurs. They want to change the world. 

Also Related: How to Solve Problems Like A Entrepreneur

Are you ready to go all in?

Becoming an entrepreneur is hard, but it is incredibly rewarding. If you truly want to change your life then you need to be ready to embrace what entrepreneurship means. Not the cookie-cutter explanation we are so used to. Entrepreneurship is about becoming uncomfortable and constantly learning.

From the day you start, you will never stop learning and that is what makes it a dynamic career path. Constantly evolving and learning. This is important because you need to be able to adapt, to constantly change course when you need to. You also need to wear every hat when you start. When you become an entrepreneur you will soon discover that you are a marketer, social media manager, writer, editor, graphic designer, and SEO expert, 

You won’t have enough money to hire someone. To push yourself out there, you have to take charge. This is why your mindset has to be right. You need to have the right frame of mind, be able to cope with all the stress. You can’t do that if you aren’t ready to go all in. This requires you to develop your self-discipline and it also needs you to be able to be patient with the process. 

                                                                                               KEEP  PUSHING

                                                                                                  VANESSA

What questions do you have about entrepreneurship? Comment below