Leaving the corporate world to do your own thing isn’t. In fact, it’s downright terrifying when you think about it. As such, you deserve a pat on the back. You’ve ditched the day job and pursued your dreams. You are now a hero of the working world, and there’s no mistaking it. Everyone wishes they had the guts to do what you’ve done. You may have even inspired a few colleagues to do the same.
This is a contributed post. Please refer to my disclosure for more information.
Sadly, all your achievements would come crashing if you ever had to return to the corporate world. While nothing beats breaking free, there are few things worse than crawling back with your tail between your legs. If seeing you leave gave your colleagues a boost, your return would knock them far down. And, let’s face it; it wouldn’t feel all that great for you, either. You may have left with bravado, but you’d have no choice but to swallow your words and grovel to the people you wanted to escape in the first place. That is not a situation anyone wants to find themselves in.
Of course, there’s no saying that this will happen to you. You could go on to lead a long and happy entrepreneurial life. But, acknowledging the possibility is important. If you don’t, you won’t know to avoid the mistakes which would result in your return. To make sure that never happens, we’re going to look at what those mistakes are, and how you can work around them.
Not thinking far enough ahead
We get it; you have a fantastic business idea. You’re sure your product is next level. But, you’ve only considered what’s going to happen in the next year. That’s enough to be going on with, isn’t it? In no uncertain terms; definitely not. Any business going needs at least a five-year plan. If you don’t have that, you’ll be grovelling before you know. The simple fact is that a year will never be long enough. Things in business take time, after all. You may need to plan longer than that to get your first products out there. And, how will you ever find loyal customers if you can’t offer them developments later on? You can’t. Instead, you need to know where your business is heading at all times. You could even benefit from adding to that plan as you go. That way, you’ll be able to see a clear path in front of you for a long time to come. That in itself could see your success lasting the long-haul. And, you know what that means.
Pleasing yourself to the detriment of your customers
Pleasing yourself is part of the reason you gave up the day job in the first place. As such, this next pointer could confuse you a little. But, the fact remains that you should never please yourself to the detriment of customers. They come first, after all. If you rush ahead and design your website with no one but you in mind, you’re going to struggle. You could entirely misjudge what your customers want this way. In the worst case scenario, you could even push customers away. By comparison, considering customer needs with the help of a UX design agency like PRWD could serve you a lot better. This way, you could ensure you’re always meeting the needs of your customers. That, in turn, could lead to much better profits and interest. It may not be what you had in mind, but this is a compromise you need to make. Otherwise, the corporate world will soon come calling.
Blowing your funding from the off
The chances are that you saved a fair amount before packing in the day job. You may have even applied for funding on the back of your idea. It takes a fair amount of money to start something new, after all. Everyone knows that a sizeable bank account is the best way to get a business off to the best start. The trouble is that money never lasts long. If you don’t take the time to budget, you could blow the lot in a matter of months. At this stage, you’ll be spending on everything from marketing to production. The main thing to remember is that you always need some money behind you. Instead of spending everything, then, hold back until you’re earning. The moment profits come in, you can pile more into your marketing campaigns. For now, though, keep them minimal to avoid ever facing your desk job again.
What To Read Next
4 Reasons Why My Twitter Traffic Recently Grew By 40%
Is This Common Problem Preventing You From Starting Your Dream Business?