Staff writer - Latoya Wakefield
I can never speak enough about creating opportunities for yourself especially in this present economy.
I always encourage others that whenever you find yourself in a job you’re not happy with or unemployed, use this as an opportunity to explore you career wisely.
First, you need to identify what you have a passion for then do some research. Then ask yourself these questions: Is your passion marketable?
Will it appeal to others? Most of all, will it make a profit? Of course, it’s never going to be easy. Being that you might have no capital, no support, no help whatsoever might damper this as an option.
But what’s to lose if you try? As the saying goes if you never failed, you never tried and sometimes a thousand failures could just provide an avenue for that big time success. Trying won’t hurt you but sitting at home, being a bum, blaming the government for the lack
of jobs, will never benefit you. Come on, take YOUR future into your hands.
Let’s take this step by step. My five initial steps to creating a business:
1. Get a marketable idea, preferably one you have a love for and start on a very small scale for example, start a mini bakery for your community; do poster making; put on a weekend get together in your back yard; or host a fish fry. Try to get an idea that requires little or no money at all to kick start your bigger ideas.
To find out if it’s marketable, do some research. You could even hand out questionnaires in your community to get an effective feedback about your idea.
2. Do a proposal or plan out your idea. On a word document or a sheet of paper, do a table and head the columns with the following:
* Raw Capital Needed/Budget/Expenses
*Concept
*Things/Materials Needed
* Sponsorship Sourcing
Legendary younger Steve Jobs
3. Market your idea…with close friends, family, through all the social networks. Sell your idea to as much people as possible.
4. Seek sponsorship. Do not be afraid to ask. Anything that contributes to your business (no matter how minimal) should be accepted. After all no man/woman is an island.
5. Give it a try. Come on, bake your first cake and sell it at your church, a school function, a community meeting or you could just give samples first.
Try these steps and you’ll see the outcome. It’s very important that you DO NOT let doubts overcome you before you even try. You can listen to critiques and improve.
However, do not let these bring you down. Sort out what you need for improvement and what’s utter foolishness.
It’s also very important that you do not squander your profits, be wise and organized throughout.
If we really put our heads to it, we’ll surely achieve…Who knows you could just be the next Steve Jobs. Never be afraid to outdo yourself and explore the possibilities of success.
