Why do I have a business and does it serve me and others?

 If you have stopped by because of the title then you too may be wondering, where is he going with this. There are many people who are getting into the businesses but they never ask the really defining questions that may bring clarity. 

If I had to be really direct then we can examine, did you seek God about what to do, or just consult yourself on what you believed you like doing? Many of us do the latter and then pray that God blesses our efforts to help us succeed. We get it backwards. 

Here are some questions you need to consider before you get into business. They may help you redefine your business if you're already in business. 

1. Why should one get into business? [Gen 2:15]
2. What should that business be about? [Gen 2:16]
3. Is it in alignment with our core values? [Gen 2:17]
4. How can it be made sustainable? [Gen 2:18]

These can be answered in your time through your own investigation. I have put some passages beside each question as points of reference which through your own investigation will reveal to you more information about the business you are seeking to invest in as well as if it would be blessed and sustainable. 

You are given the scope of your business and the possibility of success should you act based on the information that you have. Will you have challenges? Yes. However, you will have divine guidance since you first committed your plans to the Lord. [Prov 16:3 & Psalms 20:4] 

Do we really give creative thought as to what, who, why, where, when,  and how we really serve by being in business? It seems sometimes like we get into business without that clarity which then leads us into the avenues of fear, stress and panic when we don't have sufficient information. Shouldn't business be easier? I think so. 

Ensure that you take every step to be clear about your business. That clarity should cover every element of your business so that you make mistakes on paper rather than with paper. 

Get a business team together one thing is certain. You can't think of everything. You don't know everything. There are organizations that can provide you and your entity with technical assistance. These programs can provide consultations, training, webinars and seminars. 

The help will permit you to access funding, growth, and revamp operations.  Consider who really owns your business and perhaps that will help you with your approach to the business entrusted to you. 

UNDER RESEARCHED...

There are lots of people seeking to get into a business. Conversations with many of them will reveal that these people have some pretty good business ideas.

Further discussion can be quite the insight into the fact that there are more ideas available than the research that goes into them. In short, many of the businesses are not where they should be in terms of the research that's necessary. Therefore they are totally unprepared for the hiccups.

In business, you cannot be myopic only planning for the perfect picture that you have visualized that business will happen exactly like that daily. Once you are alive, storms will come through ever so often; sometimes earlier / later. There's just no sure-fire formula.

How do you ensure that your business is shovel ready? In other words, if you were being processed right now to access funding for your business, have you eliminated all of the setbacks that can halt the process? Should you get the funding right now, how fast can you mobilize to implement what you requested the funding for doing?

When business owners are asked to present about their business, and they are cross-examined, it is when many realize that they are not as prepared as they thought. Sole proprietors suffer most with this as they have not built a team which would enable them to benefit from another perspective.

Do you know the following for your business? Here are some questions that will need to be answered regardless of what business you are in:

• How much money do you need to begin your business on the right scale that would enable you to meet your objectives head on? 
• If you have to get investors, what are you willing to offer them / receive from them as a part of the total investment package? 
• Do you know how investment/financing works and recognize the differences among them? 
• Who forms a part of your team and what experiences/influences are they bringing to the table that can enhance your business and enable it to gain traction in the market? 
• Do you have a full complement of professionals that you can access? [accounting, financial, legal, marketing, business advisory services, operations] 
• How will you handle shocking changes in your business' environment? Especially those that weren't considered in your SWOT analysis. 
• Do I, as an entrepreneur, have what it takes to orchestrate this and where can I quickly find help? 

These seven are not the only questions, however, they are key considerations for your business' development. 

Well....do you still think that you have the best business concept, or do you still need to put in some more work? How well do you know your business and the industry within which it will function? Do you know that you will not have all the solutions, and who are you willing to partner with to arrive at the necessary solutions? 

Always keep in mind that not all money is good money. Don't get overconfident in your dealings with the members of the public you serve.

Remember that the research you put in is not a one-time effort as your environment is always changing. Your research needs to keep up to date lest you become extinct. 

Think in terms of possibilities. You were given that idea download for a reason; how best will you exploit it? Looking forward to reading about your lessons learned down the road. Plan to be the winner you set out to be. 

Sources of Funding

Almost daily, there is a constant flow of people seeking funding for their businesses. These funds are often needed for start ups and expansions. Many are fed up with the banking systems for various reasons. Others just want to go with the investors who are serious. So here's one for you.

There are sites that you can seek your own investment. Develop your own business plans, independently or with help from people who offer similar services to ours.

Here's the thing. You now know where you can go. You can go there directly. What you don't know is what tools and strategies to use and when. Does that matter?  You don't seem to think so, since many people think that people in my line of work just sit and write documents and charge large fees.

So cheers to your success. Have a go at it yourselves and you must be honest in letting us know how well you do and the time it took you to get it done. Share your successes, your failures, and your set backs. What makes you frustrated with the process will also be useful. Many readers would love to read of your stories.

Check out these links. I must warn you of the following though:

• The print may be fine
• There may be no pictures 
• There's a lot of reading to go through to find exactly what you require. 

Without further ado, let's get started. 

• Go 4 Funding - Here you'll learn about venture capitalist and angel investors for starters. Hope you like their requirements. 
• The Angel Investment Network is another you may wish to consider. 
• For those who love The Grants - money that you don't have to pay back. I wish you the best of luck. Here's another one you may check out to see if you qualify. It's by the UNDP. 
• For sources of funding larger than your immediate requirements see think link

There are many others. However what's gone before should more than keep you busy for some time. You already know the commercial banks in your jurisdictions. You know, the ones many people constantly complain about but are always able to offer the support when you really need it. The true success in dealing with the banks comes from managing your financial information properly so that they will offer the assistance you require. STOP TRYING TO HIDE INFORMATION from those who you are hoping will trust you enough to grant you access to their funds. YOU MUST OPERATE IN A TRUST WORTHY MANNER!

Here's hoping that as you wade through the aforementioned sites, you will think about how you attorneys, accountants, and business advisory specialist really offer you value; that permits you to focus on your core business skills and activities.

Check you later on. Until next time...