Extend Yourself

All of the good stuff happens in the little moments where you just say to yourself, “heck with it, I’m going for it.” When you extend yourself beyond what you thought was possible.

You’ll never see what the Grand Canyon looks like from an eagle’s perspective unless you have the guts to step out onto the Skywalk.

And you’ll never know if you can run a successful business unless you decide, and take that first step.

The first step seems intimidating, but there are ways to start building momentum that don’t involve tightrope-walking across the canyon (even Wallenda carried a pole for balance). This is not an exhortation to quit your day job and recklessly hang out a shingle.

This is a call to action. Any action that takes you in the direction of your goal.

If your goal is to start a business of your own, there are many “first steps” you can take. The Small Business Administration offers these 20 Questions to Ask Before You Start a Business. That’s a good, thought-provoking starting point.

Extend Yourself Toward Starting Your Own Business

• Consider embarking as a “lean startup,” as described by Eric Ries. Go out fast with the minimum viable product and iterate from there.
• Post your concept on a crowdfunding site like Kickstarter. Get your supporters on board before you get too far down the road, and gauge interest in your idea.
• Assess your key strengths (for example, using Strengths Based Leadership principles). This might give you insight if your struggling to decide among several different business ideas that inspire you.
• Interview someone who is running a business like the one you want to start. Find out how they started out, what their roadblocks were, and what they learned along the way. Find small business owners to connect with at a site like AMEX Open Forum, and start building relationships.
• Sit yourself down and bust out an actual business plan for your concept. Nothing takes off the rose-colored glasses like getting down to brass tacks. Who is your ideal customer? Exactly how will you reach them? What is your pricing structure? Do you need financing? Harvard Business Review offers an article called “How to Write a Great Business Plan,” along with lots of other resources.

It’s time to stop talking about starting your business, and start doing something. Get out of your comfort zone, extend yourself, and take that first step.

We’re here for you!

Photo courtesy of Leonardo Stabile, via Flickr CC.