Image

The aim for every young person as they work through college is to reach the other side and then be ready to face the world doing what they have worked so hard to achieve throughout their school years. But what happens to you if you decide that starting up a business is your calling?

Coming straight from college to entrepreneurship is a huge lifestyle change. You may not realize exactly how hard this aspect of your working life will be until you get out of the education system and start up your empire. Before you do get started on your business venture, here are some of the things you will want to think about...

Is your idea good enough?

It is crucial when you are planning to start a business that your idea is actionable and will work. It might be worth doing some market research to find out where there is a gap in the market for what to want to create, and also whether someone else has already thought up the idea before you.

Are You ready to start?

The next question you must ask yourself is whether or not you are ready to jump in and start up your business right away. Think about whether you have the funding and resources to create your product or service, and think about premises. Is this something you can work on from home or will you need to build a workshop out of Armstrong Steel to complete the work?

Are you prepared for hurdles?

Starting up a business isn’t just as simple as making your product and selling it on, you will likely face many challenges along the way. There will be people who will doubt your ability to succeed, and you may find it hard to reach out to your target audience to begin with. To run a business you must develop a thick skin and be able to deal with everything that comes your way.
 

Alone or with a team?

Think about the type of business you want to set up and whether it is something you need help for, or if you can set it up yourself. You might possess the skills and resources to start up the business alone, but it can be greatly beneficial to have someone there helping you along the way and giving their ideas to the project too. Decide if there is anyone you know who you could go into business with.
 

Can you afford it?

Running a business is an incredibly expensive business when you take into account the taxes, materials, shipping, employee wages and office rent. Decide whether or not you can possibly afford to run the business in the first place before you just dive in blindly. You could find that you need the help of an investor or even a loan from your bank to get you up and running before you are stable enough to go it alone.