The launching of a new business presents exciting possibilities for an entrepreneur. The idea of being able to control your time and unrestricted earning potential are the times that entrepreneurs dream of and is often the inspiration behind their venture.
While those are all reasons why some of us desire and aspire to start a business, it shouldn’t be the motivating factor alone. In a future blog I will address the reasons why an entrepreneur should go into business. However, in this blog I want to provide some valuable insight and pitfalls to avoid for those who are new entrepreneurs.
Operating Without a Financial Plan
Starting a new business is like having a baby, and today we know that having a child is expensive. I have met so many entrepreneurs who’ve had to put their businesses on pause or close it because they didn’t factor the cost of potentially funding that business for 6 months to 1 year without generating any revenue from their business activity. Every entrepreneur should be financially prepared to fund their business for a certain amount of time before seeing any revenue.
A lack of Understanding Re-Investing
When I launched my business in 2001 I was so excited when I received my first client payment. I can recall taking the payment and foolishly spending it on things that I needed personally. After some time of developing this practice, I realized I was spending the money I needed to re-invest in the development of my business on personal needs, leaving my business in a vulnerable position financially. Learn to re-invest in the development of the business when you are in the initial stages of generating revenue.
Undervaluing Their Product or Service
One of the struggles early on for me in business was knowing how to appropriately price my services. I realized that I created a fee structure that was based on what clients thought I should charge and not my research of what was common in my industry. It is important to do research and find out what others in your industry are charging, but also determine what your time is worth for this service.
When it comes to products, it’s important to do an analysis of what your costs are to develop that product in order to determine what your pricing should be.
Tune into this episode of Mastery Talks with Dr. Nathan Culver titled A Conversation on Science and the Supernatural on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}
Dr. Nathan Culver is the CEO of Culver Enterprises, a group of companies that provide support and financial services to corporations. He is also the lead pastor of Imprint Life Ministries, where he focuses on developing individuals with a desire to see change in the world. Dr. Culver’s 18 years of experience as an entrepreneur and 25 years of ministry experience have prepared him to help others fulfill their destinies. Purchase the book Mastering Your Money at nathanculver.org. Follow Dr. Nathan Culver at: facebook.com/drnathanculver; instagram.com/drnathanculver; nathanculver.com and imprintlifeministries.com.
