ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Things college students need to know
In the Nigeria of today, there is no disputing the fact that Entrepreneurship is the future, and as a student there are quite a few important things you should know about Entrepreneurship.
The entrepreneur is essentially a visualizer and he actualizes. He can visualize something and when he visualizes it, he sees exactly how to make it happen.
– Robert L. Schwartz
Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice. – Peter Drucker
Entrepreneurship according to Wikipedia is the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is more often than not, initially a small business, offering a product, process of service for sale or hire. It has been described as the capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risks in order to make profit.
In the same line, an entrepreneur is a person who sets up business and business deals. Entrepreneurs acts as managers and oversee the launch and growth of an enterprise. To buttress the definitions, businesses, business deals, and enterprise are works relating to the production, buying and selling of goods or services.
A considerable percentage of individuals in the world today are suffering because of their inability to take risks, lack of passion and fear of failure. These factors are strong hindrance to many a people’s success. A successful entrepreneur once said. “If you are not a risk taker, get the hell out of business”. Being an entrepreneur is not the world most impossible thing, the inability to try and pursue dreams, the inability to stand back and continue when you stumble and inability to silent that voice that keeps saying you can’t do it are the major factors that jeopardize and block one’s way to success. Successful people are not so extraordinary, they are ordinary people that get up and continue whenever they get knocked down.
Failure to most people is a bad thing, of course, it is, but failure is not failure unless you don’t learn from it. moving forward and learning from mistakes is the best way most of the times to overcome, reach a solution and be that success you think you cannot.
Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in you gait, the grip of your hand and the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas
– Henry Ford
According to a statistical finding, failure seems to be the main hindrance to a successful life. Failure is a lack of success or achieving something, but fortunately, it is not a lack of chance in doing something. Failures are like stepping stones, they bring with them chances to re strategize and find a better way or ways of achieving success. It is better to fail while doing something than to not try anything at all. Isaac Newton said and I quote, for every action, there is considerable equal reaction. Success requires actions, it never means lack of failure. It specifically means your stubbornness after stumbling or falling.
Here are some beneficial tips on how to become an entrepreneur.
Vincent Van Crogh said, if you hear a voice within you saying you are not a painter, then by all means, paint and that voice will be silenced
First, you have to believe and accept that a true entrepreneur is a doer and not a dreamer. Successful people are risk takers and they listen a lot to their guts. Procrastination is a killer of success. It gradually blocks the road to success.
Take a stand, Mark Zuckerberg said; If you just work on stuff that you like and you are passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out. Take a stand, make that very move and see how easy the steps are, down the road of success.
Identify the right business for you; explore, find out things that gives you energy when you are tired, that which you are good at. Look around and work on the tiniest idea that you can imagine. You could even ask God in prayers. It is one thing to start a business, it is another to start the wrong one.
Plan; a fool is one who jumps into the middle of the sea without a life jacket, when he knows he cannot swim. So, write down your goals, strategize, take chances, take actions and above all, keep moving. Know your target audience before you invest and understand your personal finances, don’t just start a business without checking your pocket. Get the word out, let people know what you do, advertise, market your goods and services. The world is growing fast and social media has proven to be an effective platform to reach a great number of audience.
Build a support network; look for friends who are ready to take a step to being successful, associate yourself with people who are ready to work, people who can impact and help you grow.
Expect failures; a real road to success will be filled with pits and potholes, twists and turns, your is to get up, maneuver and continue moving, no matter what, above all, be passionate, passion is one of the fuel that often keep one going in the intense road of entrepreneurship.
Stop thinking, start doing. You don’t have to wait until you graduate to start a successful business. According to a recent update; youths, most especially students are viable to become successful only if they are ready to take the ace and get into the race. If what you need is a moral boost, then I’ll drop my pen by saying, “JUST DO IT”. You can only get better.
Shalom!
