How to Find the Courage to Start Your Own Business

Are you a woman who wants to start a business? Are you afraid to venture out on your own?

1. Believe in yourself

Self belief is the point at which everything begins. Without it, it becomes difficult to succeed. To venture out on your own, you must have confidence in your ability to succeed. Self belief is an act of faith. It is a knowing before hand that you can do what you want to do and that you will succeed. It is an internal force which turns on the “engine” that allows you to manifest your abilities externally. If you want to start your business, believe in yourself. You are in a position to be of service to mankind…rise up with confidence and take your place.

2. Believe in the value of what you have to offer

It is hard to imagine that anyone would be motivated to spend their time, energy and money on a business which offered a product or service they didn’t believe in. When you know and believe in the value of the product or service you are offering, you readily invest in it, stand behind it and are eager to let the world experience it. If you believe that what you are offering to the world can change, improve, save lives, meet needs, provide joy, hope and happiness to others and so forth…allow that belief to stir you up and give you the courage to venture out on your own.

3. Be knowledgeable about your line of work

Most people are afraid of venturing out on their own because they don’t know what they are doing, they don’t have the ability to do what they want to do, they don’t understand how to successfully launch and operate the kind of business they are interested in, they have not researched their industry of interest, they have no clue about the current trends, they don’t know what their customers want or even where to find them. If you want to get the courage to venture out on your own; equip yourself to succeed. Gain experience by working for someone with a similar business, get formal training and education if necessary, sharpen your business acumen and take actions that will make you feel competent and confident to venture out on your own.

4. Conquer your inner critic and win

Usually, there are two dialogues going on in your mind. One is the voice of reason that encourages you, “c'mon, you can do it, you are trained and qualified to do this, you have a degree in this area, you are naturally gifted to do this, this is what you have always wanted to do,” and the other is the inner critical voice that taunts you, “You can’t do it, you will fail, people will laugh at you, you are out of your mind, you are not good enough or you can’t pull it off,” and so forth. These conflicting voices go on and on and pull you in different directions. It’s almost like a battle between good and evil. Which voice are you listening to? To venture out on your own, you must conquer your inner critic and win.

5. Prepare thoroughly

Have a strategy for how you will operate your business. Take care of the who, what, when, how, where and which questions. How are you going to handle the daily operations? What are you going to do or say when a customer finally calls? What are you going to do when you get the first order? What are you going to do when they are unhappy with your product or service? How will you respond to their questions? Who is going to handle the different aspects of your business? Which specific services are you going to offer? It is less frightening to launch out on your own, when you know that you have taken care of the details about what needs to be done in every situation. When you are prepared, you have an upper hand, are more confident and you don’t hesitate.

6. Be Yourself

Don’t put pressure on yourself to be like someone else. While it’s natural to want to emulate the people you admire, don’t do it to the point where you become a second rate copy of the original. When you feel that you don’t measure up to the caliber of the person you are looking up to, you become insecure and afraid to venture out on your own. Remember that you are not that other person; you are a unique individual with your own personality, style and essence. Accept it and be comfortable with that knowledge. Just as the person you want to be like is staying true to who they are and running their business in their own style, you too can stay true to the unique you, start your business and run it your own style.

7. Stay away from negative people

Sometimes, the courage to venture out on your own means getting rid of “toxic elements” in your life. It means saying goodbye to negative people and removing yourself from situations that poison your spirit, pull you down, instill fear in you, undermine your efforts, make you second guess your abilities and cause you to abandon your important life dreams and goals. “Toxic” people drain your energy and force you back to the land of “I can’t do it,” “I am afraid to start my business,” or “I am not good enough.” Instead, surround yourself with people who make you come alive in their presence and generate creativity and progress in you.