MANAGING YOUR OWN BUSINESS: GETTING STARTED Zimbabwe is currently searching for a new breed of heroes. The heroes come in form of people out there who are daring enough to leave their comfort zones, venture into entrepreneurship and employ. It is not an easy job but nevertheless very possible. Many black Zimbabweans have done it so why can’t you? I am sure you are no different from the man/woman who currently employs you the only difference is she/he decided to take the risk while you are enjoying the comfort zone There are countless reasons why business collapse or even fails to kick start. I shan’t go into those because they are too many. What I will focus on are the two important things you need to focus on to avoid going down the drain. 1. Passion I have told most of my friends and colleagues that for you to succeed as are farmer two things are needed. Passion and Finance both combined. Without any one of the two you better not venture into farming. The C Collins Dictionary defines passion as “A very strong feeling about something or a strong belief in something; having strong interest in and liking for something.” Thus the most important thing when you decide to go into business is to identify your passion or what you are passionate about. That becomes your core business. If you have passion for athletics then you can try any venture that has something to do with athletics or promotes athletics. The reason why I advocate for passion is that there are so many downs in business but if the line of business is your passion you have at list got something to console you. Do not go into business to make money, go into there to provide goods and services that consumers will find hard to forget. 2. Discipline Once you decide to venture into business, you attract attention of other different parties. The customer is interested in the value your product or service is adding to him, the employee is interested in his wage at the end of the day, the government wants to collect its taxes, supplies want payments when they become due and bankers want loans serviced. All these parties will be watching your moves. The best way to manage them is by maintaining self discipline especially financial discipline. By financial disciple I am talking about the best way of managing all the resources in your business. The C Collins Dictionary defines discipline as “ The quality of being able to work or behave in a controlled manner which involves obeying particular rules or standards.” You need lots and lots of discipline and I shan’t go into why. It is very dangerous to enter into a business venture on the pretext that entrepreneur A has succeeded so let me do it as well. The chances are you may get disappointment. Identify your passion and nurture and maintain the necessary discipline, only then can you g places.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 09:16:19 +0000