Jumping off the Business Cliff with Your Own Parachute

It was one of those things on his bucket list he just had to try, bungee jumping, this certainly was not for the faint of heart. Standing on the edge of the bridge being hooked up to the rope by the guide he felt his stomach sink to his knees. It was too late to back out now however, he would have to go forward. His mind was riddled with fear, what if the rope broke? What if he fainted and had to be rescued? What if something went wrong? With the swing of the arm by the guide he jumped without a second thought, terrified all the way down and laughing all the way up. Welcome to the world of business!

In extreme sports you are putting much of your faith in your equipment, guide experience, and other factors such as training and conditioning. In business you are putting your faith in your products and services, marketing, commitment level, and work ethic. There is always the possibility for something to go wrong. For those of us in business things probably will go wrong at some point, but that shouldn’t stop you from going into business. Just like the folks that do extreme sports preparation and training are steps that make the sport safer for the person participating. Ask yourself who feels safer, a person making their first sky jump from an airplane, or the person that has jumped four hundred times?

Starting off in business is scary for everyone and for those that can stick it out past the first couple of years usually can find their track and begin to find success. The scary part is commitment and jumping off the cliff. The secret to the success of your business is planning. Just as a sky jumper plans where to jump, where they may land, what gear they need and so on, a business owner needs to plan how they will reach their intended goal, what products and services they will offer, and how they will market themselves to the world. We all take stabs and try things, but overall the successful businesses have a plan written down that is showing them the way to their goals. There may be construction on that road now and then but you will eventually arrive at your intended destination. If you don’t plan for success you may find yourself in areas you don’t want to be.

So if you are thinking of a going into business and wonder if you are going to make it or not, the answer is yes, you may or may not make it? By creating a plan you have given yourself the best possible chance for success.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for entrepreneurs. He helps small to medium sized businesses become successful. Form more information visit his website at www.outridge.ca