To Do or Not to Do: Tools for Succeeding in Business

It was Socrates who said, "Unless you do, you don't know."

This is particularly applicable for individuals looking to start, grow and succeed in their own business. "Doing" makes the intangible tangible. Real world application of entrepreneurial theory and concepts reinforce learning. It gives business development concepts a meaningful context. Most importantly, meaning is specific and relevant to individual objectives and goals.

How to Facilitate Doing |

Doing is best facilitated through a series of exercises that are engaging and thought provoking. From this process and through creative expression, ideas are documented and tested and outcomes are measured over time. The value of testing and measuring outcomes is not to grade, score or judge, but to acknowledge, celebrate and learn from tangible progress along the way.

Where to Begin |

One of the best places to begin doing when pursuing self-employment is to learn more about what's involved in running a business in relationship to one's own experiences and personality. Doing the following exercises makes this process tangible and measurable...

    10 Great Reasons to be in Business for Yourself
    10 Great Reasons Not to be in Business for Yourself
    Common Entrepreneurial Traits
    Common Entrepreneurial Mistakes
    Entrepreneurial Aptitude Index

What to do About It |

With an increased understanding of what it takes to succeed in business, the next step is to facilitate ideas about what type of business to create that would leverage personal experience and personality. Doing this unfolds easily through the following steps...

    What do I enjoy doing?
    What skills have I developed over time?
    How might my interests and skills combine in business?
    How would this business be structured?
    Who would buy from me and why?
    How would I reach them?
    What business idea best fits my objectives?

Celebrating Progress |

Simply doing the above steps moves the aspiring entrepreneur from the unknown into the familiar. Because if facilitates doing in a rational and logical sequence that leverages individual experience, knowledge and skills, it also helps to build confidence. In addition and because there is a tangible paper trail of rich ideas and an inventory of strengths and interests, doing in this way provides rich content to refer to and build upon as the entrepreneurial venture unfolds!

Owning your own business can be tremendously rewarding! Particularly when it fits who you are with what you do well.

Source: http://www.buzgate.org