Cet article a été précédemment publié sur le site Bobby Finance.
Whether you just started a business or you are still at the brainstorming stage, it’s very common for many of us to seek opinion and sometimes financing within our close circle. Indeed, friends and family are generally the first people we approach to get validation for our project. However they can also be the most critical and skeptical of your ability to succeed. Here are 8 reasons they might never believe in your business:
1. IT’S NOT QUITE A BUSINESS YET
Many people confuse business idea with business. So before making your pitch to friends and potential investors, make sure you have accomplished some basic preliminary steps like identifying your target market and doing market research, in order to confirm there is actual demand for your product or service .
2. YOU DON’T SEEM TO HAVE THE SKILLS
It’s very common to start a business in an industry you are passionate about but in which you lack training. For it to work, you have to take the time to educate yourself and eventually become an expert in your field. You might be tempted to rely on a business partner who has the hard skill required to build your business (e.g.: cooking, selling or web coding) but beware of this scenario. If you go that path, you might never be able to run the business on your own (even if it was originally your idea).
3. YOU ALWAYS HAVE BUSINESS IDEAS, BUT YOU DON’T ACT
Are you constantly mentioning new projects without going passed the point of table discussions? If your circle is used to this pattern, they will never take you seriously. So choose ONE business idea carefully, and dedicate yourself in making it come true.
4. THEY JUST DON’T GET IT
A lot of times, people just don’t understand what you want to accomplish, either because your explanation is too fuzzy, or your model is too complex. Either way, you cannot blame them for that. In fact, keep in mind that if no one in your circle is able to understand your business, chances are your target customers won’t either. So find a way to simplify your message, go straight to the point, and answer all questions in a straightforward way. Plus, friends can be an excellent way to practice your pitch and challenge your idea.
5. YOU’RE NOT TARGETING THE RIGHT MARKET
Your close circle is not always the demographic you are targeting for your business. They can give useful feedback, but sometimes, their advice is biased by their ability to relate to your audience.
6. YOU ARE AFRAID PEOPLE WILL STEAL YOUR IDEA
Unless your business involves some majorly disruptive intellectual property, believe me when I say, that there is little chance that at least one of the 6 Billion people on this planet hasn’t thought of your idea already. So don’t burn your chances of making good partnerships or receiving constructive criticism by being too secretive. Talk about your business idea to see how people react to it, and filter in the relevant feedback.
7. THEY DON’T THINK YOU WILL SUCCEED
How many times have you talked to your close circle about a business idea, and all they’ve done is to list a million of reasons why it might never work? Some people are good at giving constructive criticism, but others will always be skeptical about your abilities to succeed. So work on setting yourself apart in order to ensure success.
8. YOU ARE THINKING TOO BIG
One thing that’s for sure is, you won’t build an empire in a day. So don’t be blinded by your long-term fantasy of being the next Steve Jobs. Instead, set up building blocks towards your vision but stick to realistic short-term objectives.
