Being Mindful of Common Mistakes Made by Startup Business Owners


Experienced and amateur entrepreneurs alike prefer to think that their optimism and motivation can carry them toward success. However, the fact of the matter is that it takes more than wishful thinking to turn a business idea into a reality (and one that will stick around).

Whether you intend to sell jewelry-making supplies or finished designs, it's best to do your research ahead of time and familiarize yourself with some of the most common entrepreneurial mistakes. While you might prefer to think that you aren't prone to failure, it helps to be educated on the potential to fall flat. This can give you an opportunity to plan ahead and save your business idea without losing too much time and money. Here are some slip-ups that entrepreneurs tend to make once beginning a startup.
1. Attempting to fly solo
The Wall Street Journal reports that many amateur entrepreneurs try to go at it alone when beginning a startup. However, being too prideful (or cheap) to seek additional help can put you in the hole early. Don't rule out the idea of working with a consulting firm or a public relations company once you launch your business. Yes, it will require additional funding on your part, but it will be money well spent--working with experts can increase your chances of success and give you peace of mind.

2. Failing to create a detailed business plan
Every entrepreneur knows that a business plan is necessary in order to launch a startup, but the quality of the strategy is key. If you don't include details, you are setting yourself up for failure. Your business plan will essentially serve as your road map as an entrepreneur--you should be able to turn to it whenever you need to reference anything from expenses to products. If you're finding that your plan is no more than a couple of pieces of paper that have a lack of valuable information, you're reducing your chances for success.

3. Spending too much money too fast
Inc.com reports that one of the main reasons why new entrepreneurs go out of business quickly is because they spend too much money early on. Business owners have a tendency to be too optimistic in the beginning--while having a positive attitude can be beneficial, it can cloud your vision of reality.

Entrepreneurs who want to avoid flushing their hard-earned startup capital down the drain sooner rather than later might want to step back and re-examine the situation. Ideally, you should wait to continue hiring and launching additional products until you see how your beading company is received. If your target audience isn't taking the bait, pouring more of your budget into advertising isn't going to do the trick.

4. Hiring inefficient employees
Once the stresses of being a business owner begin to weigh on your shoulders, you may be inclined to start hiring. There's nothing wrong with reaching out for a helping hand but bringing in the wrong people can be a waste of your money and hurt your company in the long-run.

Inc.com states that the first 20 people you hire will be the most valuable--these individuals will become the soul of your company. For this reason, it's important to take your time hiring your first staff members. Make sure they are not only qualified, but motivated to help you make your entrepreneurship dreams come true. Keep in mind that your initial staff will also set the tone for the rest of your employees--individuals with a poor attitude will rub off on your future hires.

5. Waiting to take advantage of good opportunities
The Minnesota Journal of Business Law and Entrepreneurship reports that one of the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make early on is failing to take advantage of prime opportunities. While you might want to make sure everything is perfect before you dive into the market, you might be letting good chances pass you by.

It's also important to keep in mind that consumers' interests are frequently changing. This means that if you spend months creating a new product that you think will sell fast, its chances of becoming popular will decrease once it's actually released. Being timely is the key to ensuring that you get off on the right foot once you launch your startup.
Even with a decent amount of training and motivation, every entrepreneur is prone to the same mistakes as their predecessors. However, the chances of committing these errors can be reduced if adequate research is done ahead of time. While you might not be excited at the thought of putting more long hours into perfecting your plan, your efforts are bound to pay off in the future.