As an Entrepreneur, You Just Have to Start!
Regardless of how detailed your plan is and how long you worked on it, there will always be something you missed or didn't anticipate.
Starting a new business is similar to learning to drive. You cannot learn to navigate a car through traffic when you are parked. You must get on the road and do it. Of course, you must know the rules and have passed the driving test, but knowing the rules alone won't let you reach your destination.
Entrepreneurship is no different. Before starting a new venture, entrepreneurs should understand marketing, branding, operations, and bookkeeping. They should also develop a business plan to confirm that their idea is scalable and has the potential to become financially viable.
However, the best-laid plans will meet reality when the company starts interacting with potential customers and faces the actions of competitors.
Don't despair if things do not follow your plan, and you need to adjust it to consider the latest feedback. That's normal and is part of being an entrepreneur. "No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without one," said Dwight D. Eisenhower.
While planning is essential in understanding what resources you might need to bring your business idea to market, you cannot plan forever because your plan will likely change when you learn something new. Regardless of how detailed your plan is and how long you worked on it, there will always be something you missed or didn't anticipate.
Think of the accuracy of the 14-day weather forecast. Sometimes, it seems a correct prediction is based more on chance than accurate modeling. Even if long-range weather projections are unreliable, they teach us much about how every input factor interacts with others and advance our understanding.
Planning combines information, assumptions, and decisions to predict an outcome. When these factors or their impact change, the prediction often also changes.
Since everything is in constant flux, business owners have to always come up with new plans. They are used to it.
Experienced drivers know how to react to other cars, potholes, and bad weather because they drive frequently. But you have to be on the road to gain that experience. As scary as it might be, as an entrepreneur, you may just have to start.
