Below is the fourth article of six in our $100 competition, submitted by Chloe who you can find at sistp.blogspot.com. Good luck to everyone who contributed an article!
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I’ll preface this by stating that I don’t have a business of my own, yet. I’m in the ‘idea phase’. Actually, I have the idea, a great one (in my humble opinion) at that. I’m in the ‘learning phase’, to be perfectly honest. I’m trying to gain as much information about starting up a business as I can; attending open coffees, learning about different forms of capital, joining the appropriate networking sites and groups to build my network, and maybe most importantly, allowing myself to sound ‘crazy’.
There are so many things that would point someone such as myself away from starting a business at this point:
a) I’m 25 (too young! Too risky to start your own business!)
b) The economy sucks (no way to get financing! Money cannot be found!)
c) Just started my current dream job (you just started a great job! Focus on that!)
d) I’m in graduate school (you have no time! That ‘after 5pm’ time slot is filled with school work!)
e) DEBT. (hello, student loans and your amazing non-profit, low-paying job!)
So, at this point, when I have the great idea that also seems feasible, it is most daunting to tell my friends, colleagues, family, and fellow classmates, that yes, actually, I am planning on starting my own business. “Oh, really?” they say. Sometimes it is as though they are just entertaining you. But, and there is always a ‘but’, it is crazy. And that is okay. The world is changing, businesses new and old and large and small all are trying to figure out how to adjust to a changing world, when no one knows exactly what the world is changing into.
So for someone, such as myself, to say ‘hey, I want to build a business that can help people and other businesses work and adapt to these changing times NOW, not later’, it is crazy. But at the end of the day, it’s the crazy ones who will survive these times. It is the crazy ones who can make successful businesses develop, grow and thrive out of situations that seem impossible to overcome. Because if we don’t, who will?
My goal is to create a coworking space in Washington, DC that also provides a space for job retraining, and youth IT/entrepreneurship development. Ideally, the space would also turn into an incubation space for new businesses as well. In this day and age, communities and businesses need to get better at sharing and utilizing resources in ways that are beneficial to the business and also to the larger community or world (for example, start-ups sharing resources such as printers to cut costs or entrepreneurs hiring youth to perform some of their administrative tasks and provide mentorship). So, while I am working on picking up and building skills that will help me start this new venture, I am getting used to hearing myself sound crazy and reminding myself that not only is it okay, but necessary.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
You mentioned a few items that would make me pause. Still a motivated person can achieve wonders.
My two cents and a few things to think about, though I am sure you already have done on some.
Is there a _need_ for this, do you have potential clients?
Do you have a financial plan? Where is the money coming from.
Will you make enough to live off of it?
Is this your dream, do you have the energy to go with this when things get difficult?
Do you have access to sponsors that will help you with clients, finance, etc. ?
Cheers,
Duncan
Chloe,
You could not be more correct. In fact, I read an article in the post the other day expressing the same sentiment; crazy, yes, but a good crazy… a productive crazy and in fact the only thing that will survive the challenges that lie ahead. As always, “Bravisimo!” on a fantastic effort. I look forward to more of this crazy talk;)
Valerie
i wouldn’t let the negatives hold you back. as you are a student and working u can kick start something in your idle time.
having a job u enjoy helps to have funding 4 other ventures, it is necessary that rent and food etc b paid~social demands means prioritizing.
thankfully the Internet provides the perfect medium, I think, for students to earn money and to establish a sustainable business, doing what they enjoy and learning as they go.
hey~ not just students!