So you’ve been thinking it through, imagining what it’ll be like, and pontificating on every aspect of your business. You’re ready to make the leap… you think. Time to test your theory.
Now, this is NOT one of those “See if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur” quiz things. That’s not what I mean by a test. Frankly, I think those things are a crock. I’ve known highly successful home-business owners who wouldn’t have “passed” half of the questions on one of those things. I’ve also talked to folks who were struggling to get off the ground and couldn’t understand why – “the quiz in the so-and-so book said I have what it takes.”
If you are planning on running a multi-billion dollar investment banking firm, then maybe they would hold some credence. But when it comes to a successful home business, there’s a simple formula that can’t be measured with a quiz. One that you’ll hear often here, because it’s the basis for everything else:
Provide something of value, doing something you love, that utilizes your unique gifts.
And the only way to test it is the same way you test your secret recipe chili – you give it a taste.
Taking a Little Taste
One of the great things about a home-based business is the low cost of entry. Usually you don’t need a lot of space, or fancy expensive equipment. Depending on the type of business, you can get up a running fairly quickly and inexpensively.
There are going to be aspects of your new venture that will need fine-tuning. You may also decide that it’s just not for you. So by testing your plan in small doses, you can ease yourself into the business and ease the business into your life.
If you have a day job, start by working in the evenings and on weekends. This is how about 80% of home businesses get started. Run your own “proof-of-concept” test to see:
- What works and what doesn’t.
- What you like and what you don’t.
- How things affect the rest of your household.
- Can you maintain your intended plans and goals?
- What areas seem to be the most marketable?
- And the biggie – Is working from home for you?
Give yourself a 30 day trial run. See if your plans and expectations are realistic. It’s like running a small scale model test, before running it on the real thing. You begin to get some measurable results in different areas that you can use to determine what aspects need tweaking.
Tomorrow, I’ll give you a simple framework you can use to design your own nest test.
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