I’m fortunate enough to be an owner for four separate businesses.  Some of them take more time and energy than the others, but they all require some of the same things to keep going, and be successful.  Some of what I’ve achieved is luck, but a fair amount can be blamed on a few simple principles.

5 Tips for Entrepreneurs

1. Be Flexible – If one thing doesn’t work, then try another.  There may be multiple approaches to a solution for the same problem.  Some of them will likely work better than others.  Be willing to change things up and try to do things differently, if you aren’t successful at first.
2. Be Persistent – Success takes persistence.  new businesses weren’t born in a day.  Chances are, you’re going to have to keep plugging at things to make them successful.  It will be a long, slow slog. Things may pop, but they also may take far longer than you ever expected.  It took Extension of You 2 months longer to get our license than I thought it would.  So we used that time other ways, to make the best use of our resources.
3. Accept that there will be Bumps in the Road –  the path to success is never smooth.  Things will go well, until they don’t.  Sometimes they go really bad.  But you have to keep going, to get over the bumps.
4. Develop a support network – Let’s face it.  Going it alone is really tough.  Having a support system is key.  I find that having friends who know different sides of what’s going on, and can offer different perspectives, or just listen to me vent is helpful.  That support system isn’t my husband.  He doesn’t need to hear all about it day in and day out.  I think I’d probably drive him crazy.  I do talk to him, but not about every minute detail.  That’s what my support network is for.
5. Find and use your resources – For me, resources have come in the strangest places at times.  My Dad’s geriatric care manager has 25 years in the industry, and has given me piles and piles of ideas  and information.  I have several friends from Girl Scouts who have given me pointers, and ideas, and pointed me in the right direction.  Who would have ever thought that Girl Scouts would have been a huge resource for me?

In short, it’s going to take time, and you are going to need help.  The sooner you get to the point that you accept those hard facts, the easier it will be. What are your tips for entrepreneurs?  If you could give advice, what would it be?  Please feel free to comment below and share your perspective.