How to Choose the Business that is Right for You

First let me ask you, how many of you remember those career tests we took in school? You remember, the ones that were supposed to tell us what we should be when we grow up? Do you remember how surprised you were when they told you what career you should have? How many of you became that doctor or lawyer, or veterinarian?

For my test, I just made a nice little pattern, filling in the holes. To this day, they don’t know whether I’m a genius and should be working with NASA, or completely incompetent and should get married to a very rich man who can look after me for the rest of my life. Personally, I’d like to run NASA, be rich AND be married!

How many of you read your horoscope every day? How many of you can say that your horoscope is always right? Horoscopes not only predict the future, they also tell you what type of career you should be in, based on your sign. I, for instance, am a Pisces. That means I’m supposed to be artistic. I will tell you right now, I have to practice just to draw a happy face!

Do you know how many people go to see physics each year? How many people go to career consultants, job fairs, franchise shows? Think of it, all these people are searching for something they want, but very few find it.

So, with all the help out there, why are so many people pursuing the wrong careers? How come the business you thought would be the greatest idea and fastest growing company in the world, didn’t? When you joined up for that party show company, how come you didn’t soar to the top, like they promised you would? Book those 3 shows a week, get those recruits so you could move up the ladder to success? Why are you feeling like you’re stuck in a “job”, instead of proudly stating that you have a fulfilling career or business?

Let me tell you, I don’t think that there is a test or psychic that can tell you what type of career or business is right for you. Only you can do that. It has to start with a real purpose. You cannot just say “I want my own company, be my own boss and be rich”. You have to be very honest with yourself, in order to find out what is right for you. Ask yourself a few questions and give real heart-felt answers. What are you really and honestly good at? Everyone has something. I know you think that’s a cliche, but it’s not.
So, let’s start with, being honest with yourself about why you want to have your own business. Some of the most popular reasons are:

�· You want to be your own boss.
�· You want financial freedom
�· You want personal freedom
Ã?· You’ve have skills and knowledge that you’d like to utilize
�· Leave your current dead-end job

Now, what about the kind of business that would be right one for you:

�· What do I like to do in my spare time?
�· Do I have technical skills, if so, what are they?
Ã?· What do other people tell me I’m good at?
�· Will I have the support of my family?
�· Do I really have enough time needed each day to run a successful business?
�· What hobbies or interests do I have that are marketable?

I had a reaction from a woman that initially threw me off a little when I was doing candy wrappers. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! How did you ever get an ideas of doing this?” That was the first reaction I receive from a mom I gave wrappers to for her daughter’s birthday party. My daughter was invited and I made the wrappers as part of her gift. From those first 12 free wrappers, I received referrals for two weddings, a shower, two birthdays and a fundraiser. Above and beyond the fact that business is great, is the fact that I had finally found something I was good at. I was in the business of wrapping joy and loving it!

To tell you the truth, this was not what I was expecting. I had done research on small and home-based businesses. They all warned that the first two years can be hard and expect to start off slow and small. I would probably end up with a deficit and should be prepared with reserve funds. The growth would come, but have patience!

I knew what they meant. This was not the first business venture I had attempted. I tried selling from a catalogue, crafty things like plastic canvas creations and then came the home party company. I’m not going to tell you there was something wrong with any of these ideas or companies. I do know that I tried them, they didn’t work for me and I learned something from that. Each one of those businesses needs a certain type of person to make them work. I just wasn’t that person.

These failed attempts are not necessarily a bad thing, but it can easily get out of hand and be costly. I do encourage people to be brave and try on their ideas. Sometimes it could mean an investment of one sort or another, whether it be money or time. You just have to make sure of what the investment is and if you are able to give it. Do you natural skills fit into their “success mold”.

By that I mean, if in order to make the big money and have real success, a company requires that you recruit and earn percentages of your recruits’ sales, can you really do that? How easily do you talk to strangers? Can you get people enthusiastic over something they intially know very little about? Is the immediate impression you give of someone who is a leader and they can trust? If you answered yes to all of these – go for it!

If you honestly answered no to just one of these questions…..this type of business is probably not for you. Make an initial investment of time, not money here. Go to a couple of shows with the person trying to recruit you. See exactly what they do to set up, present the show, get the sales and, most importantly get the recruits. I say most importantly, because in that type of business, you go nowhere without those recruits. Just holding shows just doesn’t cut it and brings in minimal profits for you.

This is one example that I’ve used, based on past experiences and what I used to decide what would be best for me. With virtually any business venture you are taken with and want to try, I think it is best to find out what is needed to really make it a success. There definitely is a reason that some fail miserably and others are bouncing around toting it as the greatest business in the world. Be realistic in your investigation. Ignore the success numbers and dollar amounts they throw at you and shadow someone already in the business, or find a mentor.

You’ve discovered why you want your own business and what you’re good at. Now do a bit of research into ideas you came up with:

�· What type of business interests me?
�· What kind of services or products will I sell?
�· Is there really a need for it?
�· Who and where is my competition, are they doing well? Why?
�· Do I need a mentor?
Ã?· What would be my business’s advantage over companies that already offer this or something similar?
�· Can I deliver a quality product and service?
�· Can I create a demand for my business and if so how?

You will need to dig very deep for your research for the every-day details of your business:

�· What will be the structure of my business?
�· How will my business records be kept?
�· What insurance coverage will be needed?
�· What equipment or supplies will I need?
�· How will I get paid?
�· What resources do I have?
�· Do I need to go to a financial institution for funds?
�· Where in the house will I do my work?
�· What will I name my business?

Not only do you know if you really want to have a business, you know what type of business you want to operate and have a very good ideas of how you will structure the operations. This is the time that you would write out an official business plan and goals. NOW you can finally get started.