Seven business lies that will send you straight to hell!
Filed in archive Bootstrapper Tips by Shawn Hessinger on November 11, 2007

O.K. So now that I've got you're attention, here's a look at Greg Go's great list of excuses at LifeRemix that can stop you from ever realizing your dream of starting a business (which is pretty much like hell to any entrepreneur).
I've added some of my own commentary too for good measure.
The "lies" include:
1. I haven't got enough time to get started. The issue here is to restructure your time and do what you must to make your business a success. If you plan to be a part-time entrepreneur you won't be the first to have to balance day job and entrepreneurship and you won't be the last
2. I need an MBA first. Some people are under the impression that accomplishing almost anything requires a degree. I don't have an MBA and have no plans to get one in the immediate future. Neither do many of the entrepreneurs I've talked to. A product or service with customers willing to pay for it makes a business not a piece of paper...unless it's a check.
(The following video from the Andrea Mills Foundation shows even grade school students can master the fundamentals of entrepreneurship with the proper guidance. Why not you?)
3. I don't like selling. I suffered from this one too until it hit me. Freelance writing and other things I've been doing all my life involve selling myself. No one says you have to cold call people or push them to buy encyclopedias or credit cards. Figure out what you can offer that folks will pay for. Start small and before long you'll be selling without really thinking about it.
4. I'd rather watch TV right now. My own version of this is making myself coffee...whether I want it or not! Sometimes it helps me think, but more often such activities are just delaying tactics to help me avoid the hard parts in a given business project. When I'm in the groove, however, nothing can tear me away.
5. I don't know anything about business. Greg provides a bunch of nifty guides. They include:
• Entrepreneur.com's Startup Basics
• Guide to choosing the right business entity
• IRS business portal for small-business and self-employed
• How to find a good lawyer
• How to find a good accountant
6. I've got no startup capital. That's what this website is all about. Read some of Greg's ideas but I'd recommend bootstrapping. For an overview of why see the previous post.
7. I need to create the "War and Peace" of business plans first. Unless it's going to be packaged and sold as a product, no you don't. Here's more on the subject though I think Greg would disagree.
Have some other thoughts? Leave a comment or join our Yahoo! Bootstrapper's Group for more discussion.
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Mr Wong
