“To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”
– A Chinese proverb
As a coach, one of the common projects I help people with is starting a new business.
Approximately 80% of business efforts fail in the first five years. Starting a business can be both an exciting and scary time. Thoughts such as “What if this happens..?” “I don’t know how to …” and general fears of the unknown often cause lots of false starts and second-guessing.
The good news is that few new ventures are without examples of people who’ve been there and done that.
Exercise:
Do your homework well before you jump into the deep end, and study the efforts and outcomes of others who’ve gone before you. This way, you can take the good and leave the bad on your journey.
To dramatically improve your odds, I strongly suggest you seek the support of mentors, coaches and supporters with a track record of success.