How to Start a Startup

It says a lot about the fundamental desire to succeed that is routed in a lot of us that even in the tough financial times that we are experiencing at the moment, millions of people will be attempting to start their own business this year.  And why shouldn’t they?  After all the best way to ensure yourself of job security and make sure that you are not falling foul to someone else’s mistakes is to go at it alone and become your own boss.

However, the road to success may be paved with good intentions but it is not going to be a walk in the park and it’s a dog eat dog world out there, to quote just a few business clichés.  So how best to navigate those early stages of your start-up business?  Here are a few top tips that should put you on the right track.

Entering startup by dierken, on Flickr.  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Don’t Be Afraid to Fail

A common phrase used when someone is determined to get something right from the start is ‘failure is not an option’ but the truth is that it is a possibility.  However this shouldn’t be something that concerns you as a start-up entrepreneur but more of something that stirs up some encouragement.  Failure is how we learn and this is no more poignant than in the business world, and therefore it is a vital part of the journey you are about to undertake.

Being afraid of failure may lead to you not trying something that could have really worked in your favor and so you should learn to cherish your failures and use them to make you a better business person.

There’s No Shame in Change

Just because you set out to do something in particular it doesn’t mean that it is set in stone and can’t be changed.  There are sure to be things that happen along the way that make you want to rethink a part of your strategy or change your angle on something, and letting pride of your original idea stand in the way of positive change is just foolish.  If things change then that’s fine; it’s all part of taking your first step into the business world.

Get Your Payroll in Order

Something that you really don’t want to be worrying about when you are trying to get your business off the ground is a hefty fine from HMRC because you haven’t followed the precise rules and regulations involved in payroll.  There are strict guidelines outlining this area of business management and it can be very difficult to understand exactly what you are required to do in these situations.

Your small business may be able to get away with just installing some payroll software and you reading up a bit on the subject but to make sure everything is conducted in the right manner you may want to outsource your payroll to a one of the many managed payroll services available.

There’s No Excuse Not to Market Yourself

In the 21st century there is no excuse not to conduct any marketing, advertising or PR for your business, especially as there are a variety of inexpensive avenues to explore.  A lot of start-up business owners will neglect to market themselves due to their tight budget and would rather spend their time and money on other areas.  However, with the development of social media and the rise of the search engine optimization industry there are some great ways to build awareness without spending a pretty penny.

Just by getting your business on a few social media sites that are suitable for your industry you can begin to create lasting relationships with the people in your community and spread the word of your existence.