When most people discuss the essential items that you need to create a successful start-up, it is usually business-orientated. They normally discuss things such as a product that people really want or the right monetary backing. They also talk about the personality traits that you need, such as business acumen, the power of persuasion and hustle.
The problem is that people tend to think of business and their personal life as two separate entities, which they can be. However, with a start-up, our personal life and your business tend to merge in a unique way. This means that you have to have a whole new set of essential non-business assistance and traits that will help you get through the tough times that inevitably come with the territory.
Here are five non-business essentials that won’t just help your start-up survive, but also thrive in an environment that can be particularly unforgiving.
1. A Community of People
While everyone supports the story of the underdog – the person who went against the grain and created a start-up that was doomed from the very start but somehow succeeded – it’s not very often that this person has done it on his or her own.
Almost every success story has a community of people behind it pushing for them to succeed and it’s imperative to have a community with you along the way. They won’t let you quit when you hit a stumbling block, they will always lift you up when you are down and they will help you across the finish line. You could also find inspiration and motivation in entrepreneurs that have succeeded before you.
2. Your Partner’s Support and Approval
Similar to that of community support, but probably more important, is the support and approval of your partner. You will need your loved one’s support when you are tired of fighting, when you are scared and when you feel like you might fail. Your partner’s love and support will be there to provide strength even in the toughest times.
3. A Way to Track Your Progress and Ideas
While having something like a journal might not seem like an essential item for you to have while building a successful start-up – you need one to keep a record of your thoughts and ideas.
When you first get started with your business everything will be such a rush and you will be under incredible pressure to get money through the door that you can lose sight of the reason you actually started in the first place. If you find work creep happening in your personal life, keeping a diary can help track your emotions as well. You can identify patterns before your work becomes all-consuming and joyless taking over your other interests and activities. These patterns could be identified as workaholism.
Keeping a journal or some other form of mental tracker means you are able to keep your feet on the ground, write down the thoughts that you don’t have time to deal with during your day and to keep in touch with your soul. It’s a great way to see how you have progressed and to remind yourself why you started the project in the first place.
4. Fall Back Money and Options
Many people are encouraged to just take the leap, leave their jobs and start their dream business. While this spontaneous decision is the ideal situation for all dreamers, it’s unfortunately not that successful in reality. In order to leave everything at the drop of a hat, you need to have savings to fall back on.
This doesn’t have to refer to money only but also loved ones that can take care of you and a skillset that, should everything fall apart, you can fall back on and start making money. It’s important to always have a backup plan.
5. Motivation
Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t easy and way more start-ups fail than succeed. In order to make yours one of the better stories, you are going to need a whole lot of motivation to get you through the tough times and to make it in a world that is incredibly tough on start-ups.
We hope that this guide to non-business essentials for start-ups will help (and keep) your venture off the ground.
About the Author
Brittnay was an HR professional in London before making the move to Dublin. Now she is a consultant who spends her time exploring the beautiful canals, food and beaches of Dublin.