5 Steps to a Successful Start-up

The effort needed to launch a new business can seem  overwhelming. The specifics will vary based on the type of business you plan on  establishing: retailers, consulting firms, and manufacturers will each face  their own unique challenges. Even with their specific challenges, once you have  your concept and finances in line, there will be some basics that are universal. Here are 5 steps to launch a successful start-up

1. Validate your idea.

If you want a successful start-up, avoid the major mistake of starting to work on a business idea before confirming that there is a market demand. If your startup aims to sell a product the world has never seen, you will need to make sure the world actually needs your product. It’s possible the product doesn’t exist because no one needs it. If it is needed, make sure the  world is willing to pay for it.

2. Shore up your plan and budget.

A successful start-up will expect the unexpected. Even the best business plans can go awry, and you will need to have an answer ready for the unexpected. You will need a plan for how the business will run. It’s a way to make decisions before you have to make decisions. Those should range from  your startup’s mission to its structure.

When you budget your venture’s cash needs, you should assume your business will generate zero revenue for at least the first year.

3. Build the right team.

Building a team that works well together is one of the most  critical steps in the evolution of your startup. Your teammates need to share  your ideas about how the business will be run. Entrepreneurship is a team  sport, build the team early, and build it around shared values. Sit down with  your team and plan for all possibilities. What happens if a partner because  sick, disabled, or goes through a divorce? What happens if the business does  poorly and now you have to go to a bank? These things should be decided  beforehand so it becomes a team decision.

4. Establish a support system.

It may seem that the entrepreneur’s journey is a solitary  quest, but before you start on your venture, you should make sure your love  ones support you. It is essential to your emotional health and to the health of  your company. You will need the mental and emotional support of your family and  friends to help you weather the storm.

5. Respond to feedback and refine your model.

For start entrepreneurs, the need to tinker with the  business never ends. You need to be constantly thinking of ways you can tweak  whatever you can to make it better. Getting client feed back on a product, and  using the feedback can make or break your startup. You have to be aware of what  the data is telling you and what you are capable of learning about the market  your are trying to serve or the problems you are trying to solve.

To read the entire article, go  to http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237448