Questions

Each time I want to start a business, I feel excited in the beginning but when I think about sales, I feel overwhelmed and I bail out I'm a software engineer with full time job, I identify a business opportunity, I do all the planning, I create business model canvas / plan in few days, I do all the planning following lean approach , set a schedule etc. I know my ideal customer and market, briefly all the theory is done, but when it comes to taking actions, talking to people and get some clients on the phone, I feel overwhelmed, and afraid to get out of my comfort zone I end up dropping the ball quickly and the idea falls in the cracks.

Wow, thanks for such an honest question. The reality is that entrepreneurship is tough. It’s a long slog and the only thing that will keep you motivated is the purpose behind the business. Think about why you’re interested in being an entrepreneur in the first place.

In The Founder’s Dilemma, Noam Wasserman found that the primary reasons why founders started companies were money and power. There are also a growing number of conscious entrepreneurs who are building purposeful ventures (think TOMS and Warby Parker). Personally, I don’t think having a great idea is enough. Having a purpose beyond yourself will keep you motivated to move past the difficult times.

Once you’ve thought about your motivations for becoming an entrepreneur, then I would encourage you to think about how much your individual design (personality, likes, abilities, and values) is a fit for the startup. Scientists have found a gene that is more common in entrepreneurs, but the reality is that entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes. That being said, some personalities have a natural advantage when it comes to certain aspects of entrepreneurship (taking risks, sales, etc.) You can mitigate some of these through co-founders, but that also requires careful selection.

Best of luck on your journey!


Answered 7 years ago

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