I was recently talking to a frustrated entrepreneur who was trying to juggle a lot of business activities. She was doing all the annoying little things that you need to do as a business owner. I noticed a whisper of doubt in her tone of voice; one that made me ask the question, “Julie, are you in this business because you love what you are doing or because you just always wanted to be a business owner”?

Her silence made me realize that I touched one of her hot buttons. She didn’t have an answer right away. When she finally recovered from my direct question, she came up with a hundred of excuses about why she started her business. The usual things like, “ I wanted to have more time. I wanted to leave my lousy boss. It was the right opportunity. I had to take action otherwise somebody else would have taken it” popped up. I listened carefully and realized that this is a big problem that many entrepreneurs are facing.

There are many kinds of resources that talk about one thing and one thing only. If you want to be successful, follow your passion. Concentrate on what you do best. Yet, many people ignore this and are diving in and starting businesses for the wrong reasons. Or worse yet, they are starting the wrong business for the right reasons. Whatever the case may be, take a few moments and reflect on what made you start your business. All the answers are within you, however, you need to do some soul work and find out what the one thing is that you really love about your business.

My intention with this article is two-fold.

First, I want to have you reflect on the real desire that pushed you to start a business. Secondly, I want to lay a foundation for those who are considering becoming small business owners. Especially for entrepreneurs, I believe your success will largely depend on what made you jump into the entrepreneurial life. If you decided to start your own business for reasons other than pursuing your special gifts, I will guarantee you’ll have a harder road to success than most. Working your own hours, seeing your kids more often and taking more vacations will probably seem as distant as a fairy tale to you.

Remember Julie? Julie’s response made me understand one powerful thing that I had not thought of before. If you want to be successful with your own business you’d better evaluate why you started it. So, I created a reality checklist to help you identify if you started something because you love and believe in your idea. It’s a simple questionnaire that many of my coaching clients use. It really helps them with putting things in perspective. It also helps accelerate the process of working on their true mission.

So I suggest you take action and ask yourself the following questions. Your answers will help you to see why you are really in business.

1. What does my perfect work environment look like? What is my vision? What do I want my company to look like? Visualize it. Can you see yourself in a large office with employees or do you have your own home office?

Consider where you would most likely be on a daily basis. Be honest with yourself. Don’t get caught up with the fantasy that working from home is the best things that could happen to you. I would suggest that before you venture to a home based business you choose to work a few days of the week from your home. By doing this you will be able to see if you have the discipline and mood to continue on that path.

2. Who are you really trying to serve? Your customers or your ego?

That sounds kind of harsh but again, you need to be honest with yourself. If you do not have in mind the benefits of the customers you will find it harder to succeed. Why? Simply because you are not going to be able to connect with people. Clients can sense when you aren’t doing something from your heart. You always sense a sales person who wants to help you solve your problems because he or she believes their product or service can help you. Likewise, you can also tell when a salesperson is simply trying to make a buck.

3. What are your real needs? What must you have in life to function well? Is it inclusion in a group or acceptance from a group? Do you need to be free, have no authority over you or need to be creative in your work?

Once you’ve identified your needs… meet them, otherwise they will haunt you. If you are a social person, working from home may not be the best strategy for you. You must consider your core needs and be sure they will be met before deciding to open a business. If not, you will quickly become disillusioned and frustrated.

What do you do easily and naturally? Is it your ability to connect with people, solve a business problem, or repair something tangible?

These don’t necessarily include things you learned during your education. These are the talents that come naturally to you. Write them down and now see if your current business or future venture will include them? Make sure you will be able to integrate your gifts into your new business. In doing so, you will be able to succeed in less time, with less effort.

Last but not least, do a good assessment of whether your idea will have a market for you.

I firmly believe in innovation, yet you still need to be able to define your target audience. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Then go where they are. Ask questions. Take time to determine if your plan is marketable… and therefore profitable.

I encourage you to assess why you want to be in business. If you’re just in love with the “idea” of owning a business… beware. However, if your values and personal vision are aligned, you are on the right track to achieving success.

Discover your true purpose and then go for it!

(c) 2001 As a coach and consultant, Carole creates an environment where others can openly express their opinions without feeling they will be criticized. A transfer of knowledge, energy and ideas between Carole and client takes place almost by osmosis.
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