The primary purpose of this article is to emphasise two things. The first is to make you the “entrepreneur in the making”, aware of the learning curve you need to get into, and to make your business thrive in a rapidly changing environment. The second is to point out that your learning span could be significantly shortened if you are prepared to explore strategies readily available to you, which have already been proven in practice to work.

To make it simple, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel and spend scarce resources on things that have slim to no chance of bringing you the results you desire.

Be aware of this:

Things That You Don’t Know, Or Those You Know But Choose To Ignore, May And Probably Will Hurt You…

But before we start, I need to explain just one more thing about the business-building process. You see, in life and business, nothing happens without action. Action brings results; no matter how focused and structured you on your goals and the effort you are making, only well-thought action creates positive change. Thinking and dreaming on their own are seldom sufficient to create success.

When change is considered, no matter what we try to accomplish, one thing often comes to mind—complexity. We believe that every change initiative should be considered in a broader and more abstract way with all relevant causes and effects clearly identified and evaluated. One must strive for overall improvement and betterment, and in no circumstances discriminate about the negative consequences.

Positive change is all about movement in the right direction, one that ensures progress and emphasises achievement in every aspect we hold important. Nothing on this Earth is stagnant. Everything moves, shrinks or expands. You too are either changing for the better or for the worse.

Dynamic plans, smart opinions, and wish lists will remain only dreams if you do nothing meaningful to materialise them. Sometimes, our actions can be slow in producing results, but you should know that applying consistent effort while focusing on the right things will bring you closer to your big vision.

There is nothing sustainable in business that can be created overnight. You need to stop believing in all the hype of overnight success stories that some sleazy marketers will have you believe.

Overnight millionaires are rare at best, and not a likely outcome if you start with limited resources and abilities. We succeed or fail gradually. This is the only truth. We build on the foundation that has previously been built, and we fail in a similar fashion. Compounding sets of events describes it perfectly.

Failures seldom happen instantly. Many warning signs will occur, and if these signs are ignored and neglected, they could cost you dearly. It is imperative to continually question everything—­processes, procedures, results, and systems—and determine the core drivers contributing to ideal performances and desired outcomes.

The main point is that it is fine to be somehow professionally incompetent, as there are things we yet need to master. Still, it is fatal to play dumb when it comes to our own shortcomings and taking proactive action to address them appropriately.

Ignorance is The Critical Entrepreneurial Flaw

Your business will be affected if you fail to accomplish the critical. Continuously failing to meet essential milestones will have a compounding effect, which, in turn, slowly diminishes what you have achieved so far: your efforts, your initiatives, and your progress. Poor business performances do not only affect your business but also you, personally. Your business is your creation; it becomes personal, more than “Just the business” discussion. Problems will go with You even if you leave the office. You see, it will be impossible to break with and disconnect.

Furthermore, when the work of the “engine room” is compromised, the business vehicle is at a standstill.

The failure in business is seldom a result of an isolated and minor event

Trust me on this; if you ever experience lows within your business, just remember that you will not fail because of one small event, you will do so because of a series of more minor bad calls, inaccurate judgements, and poor decisions. It could be slowly dying, denial of truth and inaccurately thinking that things may improve without efforts on your part. As an entrepreneur and leader of your business, it is critical to both; stay relevant in the marketplace and fully aware of both the environment within which you operate, as well as your own shortcomings.

You should also know that if you do things that matter—your core activities, your big things—right, your business will progress. And that will probably be just enough.

“How fast and how big will it become?” you ask.

Unfortunately, no one can predict. It will most certainly grow, but the speed and the direction it takes will fluctuate.

So, let us start exploring this topic in more detail…

I believe there are certain core processes in any business that, if performed poorly, will diminish any good intentions, plans, or anything else done in an excellent manner. Put it this way:

No Matter What You Do Before Or After, If You Do Poorly When It Matters The Most, You Are Out. Gone. No More. Game Over.

Your main priority is to identify those core processes and make sure you have enough force and capacity to deal with issues that may affect these processes. Don’t buy into the belief that this is unnecessary or somehow over the top.

You need to know your core drivers, what makes your business successful. What defines it in the way it is right now?

What should your business be, and what must you avoid to grow it? What you must preserve and enhance, develop and emphasise, discriminate or focus on to make it relevant, rock-solid, and successful?

Only you know these answers, and unfortunately, no one else can do it for you. It is your baby, it is your business, it is your responsibility to find the best possible answers to most pressing problems you may encounter!

Well, our point is not to discourage you, but rather to make you aware of the journey ahead, and to encourage you to take it seriously. We are humans. Mistakes are in our DNA and will most certainly happen if you are starting a business on your own. They do exist, somehow hidden or visible, and you’ll be surprised how many business owners, smart leaders, and entrepreneurs just like you drive themselves into similar traps almost daily.