Do You Have What it Takes to Be Your Own Boss?

How do you know you have what it takes? You need to assess your reasons for going into business and evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Why do you want to be in business?

• Independence - to earn a living from your own ideas and control your own future?
• Income - to have extra money to build a more solid future for yourself/your family?
• Self Worth - to prove to yourself and to others that you can succeed at what you are doing?
• Lifestyle - to be able to work flexible hours, to work from home, to work part -time?
• Type of work - to be satisfied from your work efforts and do something you really enjoy?.

2. What are your strengths and weakness?

• Make a list of the personal qualities that you think are your strongest. What sort of person are you? What is it about your personality that is most helpful?
• List your personal limitations. What parts of your personality limit what you can do?
• Write down, in detail, exactly what professional skills and experience you bring to the business.

3. What are your personal and professional goals?

• Write down your personal goals for, say, the first twelve months, then for the next five years. What sort of person do you want to be?
• Write down your professional goals for the same time periods. What do you want to achieve as a business person?

Once you've answered all these questions you'll see where your knowledge and experience is valuable to your business and where you'll have to make up for your shortcomings.

If you're weak in one area, perhaps you could form a partnership with someone who has those attributes, rather than trying to get those skills yourself.