Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Things to Keep in Mind When You Choose the Laptop Lifestyle Start-up owners should be careful not to let their concept snowball into something over complicated

By Malini Agarwal

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock

Starting your own business is often a learn-as-you-go process. But, the more smart decisions you make early on, the better chances your company has to succeed.

First and the most crucial aspect is that instead of ideating about what to sell, think about what it will solve. It's a lot easier to gain a solid customer base when your business is fixing a problem. Your start-up should fill a gap in a certain market or niche. If you're like many entrepreneurs, you have a business idea and you're ready to run with it. Be careful not to let your concept snowball into something overcomplicated. You could end up with an expensive, elaborate end-product that nobody wants to buy.

So before setting on an entrepreneurial journey, here are a few important things to focus on.

Find Your Ikigai

Your true passion lies at the centre of four things, i.e. what you love to do, what you're good at, what you can get paid to do and what the world needs. If your business idea and your passion are aligned, every hurdle or obstacle will stand as a thrilling challenge and not a demotivating problem.

Secure Your Elevator Pitch

Certainly, you will be clear about basic things such as what you sell and who you sell it to—it isn't enough to know this on your own. You should be able to clearly and easily describe your business to others as well. You should be able to describe what your business does in one succinct sentence. Remember, it's all about filling a gap and doing it well. Businesses that work are ones that service a need.

Find Your Dream Team

Investors invest in people not just in companies. Your core management will be crucial to building your business. If your company's foundation is robust, the business can withstand all hail and storm.

Plan To Be Frugal!

Use your money wisely and invest in the right things. People, technology, research and marketing top the list of the right things.

Know Your Audience

Deep dive into your consumer and get to know them as that will help you frame your entire business strategy, brand communication and positioning. Never make assumptions about people. Do the research and understand every existing and potential customer inside out.

Learn From Your Mistakes, There Will Be Many

Failure is inherent in business and entrepreneurship. In fact, many entrepreneurs consider failure to be a natural stepping stone to success. They celebrate failure, because they've learned firsthand that their mistakes are their greatest sources of learning.

Goals and Values

Set your company goals and values and ensure that everyone in your company is aware of and on-board with them. Also ensure that you work towards aligning the goals of your employees with the company's goals. This will not only motivate the team to perform better, but will also help the company grow alongside the growth of the employees.

Lastly, pay absolute heed to any advice you receive—from friends, family, experts or even yourself. When it comes to things pertaining to your entrepreneurial goals, be a sponge. As you learn, start to work out the idea in your mind. Write things down. Keep notes from all the resources you come across to develop a detailed plan. Don't ignore the power of advice from experts and veteran business owners. These folks know firsthand what does and doesn't work. Smart entrepreneurs learn from the mistakes other business owners have made. If you programme yourself in accordance with all of this, you'll be prepared to set on your journey of successful entrepreneurship.

Malini Agarwal

Founder and Creative Director of MissMalini Entertainment

Malini Agarwal, aka MissMalini, is the founder and creative director of MissMalini Entertainment, a news media network that creates highly engaging, multi-platform content geared towards India's Internet generation.

Starting a Business

Schools Fall Short on Teaching Financial Literacy — Here's 3 Ways Parents Can Raise Future Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is not just for adults. Teaching kids the basics of business and finance from a young age will serve them well in life, no matter what path they pursue.

Data & Recovery

Use This Smart Tracker to Help Avoid a Data Breach

Lost access cards, wallets, and devices are no problem when they're connected to this razor-thin tracker.

Thought Leaders

These 3 Trends Will Change What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur in 2025

Here are three entrepreneurship trends from the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report that are changing the landscape for the future.

Leadership

4 Bold Leadership Moves Every Successful CEO Uses to Navigate Change

Ready to turn fear into fuel and lead with confidence? In this article, I share how leaving my corporate job without a plan led me to build a thriving business. Learn four bold strategies to embrace uncertainty and turn challenges into opportunities for growth today.

Data & Recovery

Train Your Company to Avoid Costly Data Breaches With This $30 Bundle

Train in the eight domains of CISSP and protect your business from growing cyber threats.