Before knowing how to start a business, what better than to find out what NOT to do? Understanding the common mistakes new business owners make, and ensuring that you do not do the same, will have you a head above the rest. A truly great start to success. Find out what the most common mistakes are in this excerpt from an interview between Dale Beaumont and Sascha Griffin.
Sascha embarked on her new venture – pinklily – creating a glamorous mail order company specializing in her ‘launch’ product – the clear shoebox. She could never have imagined the success that she has experienced in just the first two years – including an enormous clientele, staff, and a globally recognized brand.
In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes new business owners make?
- Failure to think through every single step of how their business will operate – you might have one good idea to kick-start the business, but it won’t last forever. You have to continually think of new media campaigns and ways of reinventing that first idea in order to survive.
- Not being organized – when initiating a marketing campaign you need to be prepared. If the campaign works, you will only have a day, perhaps a few hours, to process, pack and deliver every sale that you make. It is always better to be very ‘over’ organized than to be caught out and miss potential sales.
- Playing safe – in any business you have to take risks; some will pay off, others may not. However, with every campaign and every decision you make, you will find that the good ones will outweigh the bad ones, in fact, the bad ones will soon be forgotten!
- Hiring the wrong staff – I have been so fortunate that I employed Francine from day one (we actually went to the same school). Francine is my operations manager and coordinates all sales. It is so important to employ staff who share the same vision, are extremely efficient and whom you respect. Staff relationships are crucial for creating harmony within a company. I am always spoiling my staff because they are the people who keep the motor running in the engine room.
For more on How to Start a Business and this interview check out Secrets of Internet Entrepreneurs Exposed!
