I often hear questions about how to get started on a business or idea as an entrepreneur, especially from people who have been used to being an employee. The naive view is that somehow by studying and researching the answer will fall out of the sky. I reject this not only from years of experience, but the false notion that we can design and plan in a vacuum. The world is a moving target and spinning faster than ever.
The best thing to do is get a first customer. They will open your eyes and understanding to what your next customers can look like as well as desire. This means being able to connect with people, listening carefully to what their pains are and using your arsenal of talent and resources to deliver something specific and valuable.
If you can help a person or a business get to a place that they desire then you can figure out the details of what your service or product might look like in the long run. Each new customer helps you to pivot towards a more refined solution.
The good news is that the world is filled with problems and if you are observant and focused, starting and building a business can be an exciting and lucrative opportunity today. The access to the systems you need are like no time in history. The costs are low. What is needed is the know-how and focus so you don’t waste time, money and cycles in the wrong areas.
As everyone is despairing and waiting for something to happen or someone to give them a job, why not create your own security on the entrepreneur path today? All it takes is a relentless focus on getting your first customer to catalyze the next steps which will become more clear as you step forward.
