There are people who prefer to work 18 hours a day to avoid working 8 hours a day. Those hustlers are called entrepreneurs! They prefer to start at the bottom of the ladder they want to climb, rather than the top of the one they don’t. Success does not come overnight, achieving results takes time. 

This entrepreneurial journey may have numerous challenges that require an ability to cope with change – change in skills, scale, managing people, and the pivoted milestones of this gratifying journey. So why take the plunge? Starting your own business gives you the opportunity to live your own dream as opposed to working for someone else’s dream.

How do you know when to say NO?

There are several signs that tell you it’s time to make the switch. The courage lies in identifying them and taking the first step – Saying NO to the 9-5pm life. Here are a few that some entrepreneurs will relate to –

• Sunday nights are blue
• There are no new learning
• A feeling of being undervalued 
• An urge to follow your passion 
• You identify a disruptive opportunity
• Would you listen to the signs? 

How can you bring Your IDEA to LIFE?

Turning your entrepreneurial dream into reality is the biggest driving force at the initial stage. Understanding the reasons behind the inception of this “idea” is the first step. And believing you can do it is the next!

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself – 

What market gap am I filling? Is my product solving a problem? Will this idea be a game changer? What resources do I need to bring this idea to life? What is my “ special sauce “ that will help me stand out? 

During this journey, you’re bound to face multiple roadblocks – those around questioning your decision, changes in the market dynamics, funds, competitor strategies and more. 

Can you break through the noise?

How can you win? 

As much as we all want to find this secret, there is no one formula for success. And neither is it an accident. What is in our control are 2 aspects that can make a win –

Talent – You have probably heard time and again that ‘people are your greatest assets’. Never has that been truer than now. If you’re on a mission to making your entrepreneurship dream the better half of your career, start by hiring employees with a similar passion and an attitude of ownership. Today, employees are looking to work alongside the leadership team and not below them, to grow as professionals with a sense of accountability. Make them connect with the business, the vision, mission, and the purpose of the company! 

Persistence – Time will be the key differentiator  to victory. Your hard work and efforts will help you train yourself to succeed. A positive mindset, setting short realistic and long optimistic goals coupled with the right talent will define your future. 

How can Women Entrepreneurs make it? 

There has been a surge in Women Entrepreneurship and this can be validated statistically. Globally, as per the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the rate at which women entrepreneurship escalated is 14% compared to 5% among men. So if you are looking to get on the list of inspiring women entrepreneurs, there are a few things you can do to be unstoppable – Take charge of your own career and learnings

• Set definitive goals 
• Build your network  
• Use your time wisely 

Balancing work and home – wondering how? 

By blurring the lines that differentiate both the lives – as an entrepreneur, your company is your baby and you give it all to make it grow and create an environment to help others grow along with you. Both lives offer learning and experiences that complement each other and that’s when the synergy takes place so well that you don’t feel the “need to balance” but rather make them coexist and work for each other.

And lastly, AGE is no bar

More often than not, we second guess our decision to make the career switch as we get older. But age must hold no bar. Just like there is no minimum age to be an entrepreneur, there is no limit either. We have seen students at a young age turning into “kidpreneurs” by capitalising on opportunities around them. From the likes of David Fisher and Colonel Sanders, we have learnt that there is no right age to bring an idea to life.