Getting though college and standing on that podium with degree in hand wearing your cap and gown is one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment.
It is a great reward for the past years of blood, sweat, and tears in the library, late night classes and those nerve-wrecking exams.
There is a feeling of excitement and hope when you graduate. It’s a whole new world, one that is (hopefully) not filled with those noodles in a cup that your pour hot water on.
But there is one thing you must keep in mind, it is hard to find a job. Even the brightest graduates right now are struggling to find employment.
But here is a suggestion.
Do you have a great idea or the ambition to provide your community with a good or service that they need? Well why not start your own business?
It doesn’t have to be of epic proportions…you can start out small. Perhaps you can even work on it in your spare time.
The best part about starting your own business is that you can take your passion and turn it into a job. All you need is a good idea.
In saying that, I must stress it is important to have a product or service that people will want to buy from you. Probably not best to try and sell ice to Eskimos. But you don’t have to reinvent the wheel here. Take what you are good at and turn it into a career.
But you have to be smart. Starting a business may seem easy but you must go about it the right way. There are plenty of resources and articles online about starting a business that will be useful and provide you will with a wealth of knowledge.
And if you are starting a business with a friend – tread very carefully. Entering a business partnership with a friend invites a whole host of trouble. Your friend may not pull their weight, they may want to pull out at any time and you may disagree to a point that the business crumbles and dies. This happens a lot in business partnerships and it is really a shame. So many good businesses fall to the wayside due to silly disagreements.
It is always best when entering a business partnership with a friend to make clear your intentions and lay down some rules from the onset. Better yet, put it in writing and both sign it.
Include how the work will be shared, how much money you will both put in to the business and how you will split the profit.
Whether you go it alone or start a business with a friend, it is important to do a business plan. This will serve as a benchmark as to what you want your business to achieve in a certain period of time.
If you have a great idea, go for it. It is a tough economy out there be warned, but working for yourself gives you invaluable freedoms and the opportunity to not just give yourself a job, but to really make it big.
But be warned, your own business will require a lot of work. If you have the skill and are prepared to put in the hours, then do it. Dream big!
