3 ISSUE № 3 APR 2017
The Business RADICAL
Carissa Daniel shares her purpose and passion everyday by helping entrepreneurs experience success both in business and in their personal lives . As a Business Coach , Speaker and Small Business Consultant , this has been the heartbeat of her educational pursuits , career choices and business ventures . When solicited for a few inspirational words of advice these were her responses . What advice would you give to people thinking of starting their own business ? Let your main reason for starting a business always be to serve others . Many entrepreneurs start a business simply to make money but eventually recognize that a business demands more than just chasing money for it to work , it requires all of you . There will be times when the reward of money is slow in coming and these are the true tests . During these times , if the reason is only money , the business will be abandoned and become a source of frustration . However , when the reason is to serve others , it motivates us to continue building and growing because others are depending on us . Money is without a doubt one of the main factors to consider in business however it should not be the main or only factor . Money is a reward . Follow your passion . A business is a lifelong commitment . Pursue a venture that you are passionate about , one that you enjoy and love . This will ensure that when the going gets tough your joy and love for what you do will help sustain you and your business . What are a few challenges one should expect to encounter as a start-up and how in brief would you suggest they deal with it ? Sometimes we must fail , fall and falter before we fly . Embrace failure and expect to fail a few times but also expect to succeed as well . It ’ s during the so called failing moments that we learn the valuable lessons required to success . Things will never always go as planned , however the only time we truly fail is when we fail to try again . Cash Flows is also usually one of the main challenges faced by start-ups for a number of reasons , including inability to access funds from financial institutions or even from personal savings . There are other options a start-up can explore including : Seek investments from family members or friends in exchange for a small stake in the business . Bootstrapping is when start-ups start on small scale just offering a basic product or service . All the revenue generated from these sales will then be reinvested back into the business to facilitate growth and development . Don ’ t expect everyone to support your venture . You are the one who received the vision for your business , no one else . Do not expect everyone including family members and friends to understand and support you . However , believe in yourself and vision and surround yourself with the people who do support and believe in your vision . Similar to other aspects of life , a business takes time to build momentum . A seed planted in the soil cannot be seen while it germinates . During this time , the seed is being watered and nourished until at some point it shoots out of the soil . Your business will take some time to grow , to gain visibility , attract customers and make money . However , stick with it until it becomes what you envision .