You are excited! You have been inspired and have come up with a brilliant idea to make money. But how do you test your business idea to see if it really does ‘have legs’?
Test-drive your business idea
Service delivery ideas are often the cheapest to start. They cost a loss less than a business that makes or sells physical products. So, if you want to make something, give it a go. Make one item, which costs very little, and then share it with your audience. Don’t ask those nearest and dearest to you. They may be too positive because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. Or, they could be too negative because they have their own issues or they don’t believe you will be any good.
And if your audience hates your idea or your product, it’s completely okay. Don’t despair and don’t take it personally. You don’t want to invest time, energy, and emotion into something that will be a disaster. You can rule this option out at an early stage, or you could be setting yourself up for a fall.
Explore an apprentice opportunity
There are so many opportunities locally (and online) for you to explore. Meeting with and learning from others in your niche, is a brilliant introduction to business and to what your idea could become.
Sometimes these opportunities are paid (very low pay), but don’t rule out free opportunities. You may not get paid, but you could find exactly what you are looking for, or not. Either way, learn all you can and take as much from the experience as possible.
Find a mentor
I know small business owners don’t always have the time to mentor someone. Many mentors charge for their services. They are sharing their knowledge and experience over many years. And they value their own time. If they are successful, their time is worth a lot of money.
If you can afford to pay a mentor, please do. This is invaluable to any business, especially in the early stages.
There are of course business owners who do not charge. Maybe they have never been asked to mentor someone. If you have a role model in your industry, approach them with a proposal of how much time it will cost them. Make it easy for them to say yes.
But, don’t give up on your dream if you stumble. Take advice with care and openness, but follow your own path.
Be brave and bold!
