This is a Guest Post from Cloe Matheson who sent me an actual human-oriented email with an idea for an article. This is rare today, as I’m constantly pitched with obvious bots, templates and messages that I send to trash without hesitation. I’m excited to share her voice with you, and welcome into the community. Over to Cloe.
======================================
It’s 2020! A new year, a new decade. No doubt, many of you already have wonderful resolutions and goals set in place. From the straightforward to the non–conventional, it’s good to know what you want for the future so that you can begin those crucial first steps. It’s the same with business, and any Entrepreneur of our generation can tell you that with the excitement also comes the fear — the questions.
- Where do I start?
- How can I do it?
- Is this what I want?
Deciding to create your own start-up can be huge. There’s always a thousand excuses not to try it, and the comfort of mundane employment almost traps you. If you really want it, you will find the desire to grow. The time will come when dreams aren’t enough, and you want to create the life you want.
Your 2020 Vision
Here you are. You have the dream; the ambition, and it’s time to set things in motion. This first comes in understanding what you want to do, and how you can turn it into a venture worth living off.
Be creative: write notes, draw mind-maps, record your thoughts. Do whatever it takes to develop that plan. Once those dreams start to become more concrete, you will get a much better idea of how to start.
Success Doesn’t Happen Overnight
As a Millennial, you’re in the perfect time to dream big. Raised in a rapidly evolving sector of communications technology: the world is your oyster. The business world is ablaze with countless ventures set up by like-minded hopefuls all looking to make their success in life. As you too make that leap, you’re guaranteed to be feeling lost and directionless for quite a period of time: that’s okay. There’s a term for this, and it’s called: wandering the start-up wilderness. Many entrepreneurs have experienced it, but it’s good for you. It’s one of your most important periods. Why?
It lets you discover your real priorities.
You develop the experience to start deciding what is worth pursuing, and what is best turned away.
Staying On Course With Your Vision
It’s easy to think big. It’s another to remain confident in what you’re doing when things don’t go according to plan. It’s good to start with a go-getting attitude — saying YES whenever you can to get you closer to that vision. It’s also better to know when not to: declining work you know will leave you at a net loss, or stripping away the unnecessary parts of your venture to focus on what works.
One of the biggest challenges to the success of your venture can be financial management. Understanding how to work the flow of cash into your favour can make or break your dream. For a Millennial Entrepreneur, it’s about preparation and establishing measures against shortfalls. It’s also about understanding the utility of technology and maximising its cost efficiency: having the right hardware, cost-effective and reliable broadband, software, administration, banking — the list goes on.
- Measure your success against your challenges
- Refine your vision
- Don’t be afraid of revisiting or relaunching
Managing your cash flow can be a unique problem depending on how you run your venture, but there are plenty of useful cashflow resources to help you manage what would otherwise seem like a daunting task. It may all seem scary, but with your passion, you will come out on top.
It’s the start of a new decade, and there is so much potential. All it takes is for you to get out there and begin that path to success. You can do it!
Cloe Matheson is a freelance writer from the beautiful Gothic city of Dunedin, New Zealand. When she’s not writing for various blogs and sites, she busies herself with the latest lifestyle articles. Read more about her published work here.