A new venture can be an exciting time for many entrepreneurs and their families. While a small company can be an excellent way to gain personal freedom and earn money, it’s important to understand the reality of a new company.
Most new companies fail within the first few months. Accord to the United States Small Business Association, over 50 percent of new company ventures will cease operations after a year. While a new company may seem like a good idea, it can be a waste of time and energy if it isn’t researched.
A business plan is essential for all new companies. A business plan will consist of an executive summary, a company overview, a synopsis of the market environment, a company description, a company action plan and a financial overview. Without these components, it can be difficult to understand all the challenges and opportunities a new company may face.
It’s important to find a market niche for a company. Since a young company will have limited experience, it’s important to avoid competing with established companies that provide a similar product or service. In many cases, a new company’s products or services will be inferior to those of an established company. In addition, an established company will have higher marketing, research and management budgets.
When researching a potential market, it’s important to understand the competition one might face. For example, a company selling books online will have to compete with Half.com, Amazon.com, Alibris.com and many other companies. All these companies can manage books sales better than a new company. They will pay lower shipping costs, have better marketing departments and always have better financial resources.
If an entrepreneur wants to sell books online, it’s important to find a unique niche. For example, a company could specialize in pop-up books for children. Since this would differentiate it from most competitors, it would be possible to gain a significant number of consumers.
It may not be necessary to find a niche when starting a brick-and-mortar company. While an online store will have to compete with multi-national companies, a local restaurant or bar will only face local competition.
It’s also important to have realistic goals for a new company. Setting a goal that is too ambitious may lead to the downfall of a new company. For example, it is unrealistic to think one can successfully start a new company like Facebook, Google, Twitter or Apple. However, it is realistic to start an SEO company, car wash, restaurant, bar or laundromat. Since people rely on these services every day, it’s a pragmatic direction for a new company.
In addition, it’s important to keep track of budgeting and fixed costs. While a company should strive to minimize its spending, there are some expenditures that can be effective when marketing a company. For example, advertising and marketing are essential for gaining a new consumer base. Wasteful expenditures can include using new computer systems, over-developing a website, creating a private social network and signing a lease for an expensive building.
While a new company can be an exciting time for many people, it’s important to be rational when making decisions.