Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no expense to you. Affiliate links are marked with the asterisks (*)
It doesn’t matter what your product or service is. You need these three essentials to make any business a success.
Whether you’re running a brick-and-mortar business, or you’re selling online, running a business is hard. It takes up a lot of time, and you need to be ready to go through the bad to get to the good. It doesn’t matter what you offer. Even the best product that everyone wants isn’t going to sell if you have the wrong mentality. Incorporating elements like antique advertising thermometers into your business strategy can help create a unique brand identity and attract attention, making it easier to connect with customers and stand out in a competitive market.
Of course, you want to make money. Nobody goes into business without wanting to make money. However, if you want a get-rich-quick-scheme, you’re not going to be a success. Those “broke and lazy” videos you see on TikTok are a scam and are selling something that just doesn’t work without these three essentials.
The willingness to push through the slow and hard times
Your business isn’t going to be a success overnight. It’s ridiculous how many people think that the best businesses* didn’t take years to create. There is a lot of bad that comes with the good.
If you want to be a success, you need to be willing to push through those slow and hard times. It takes 3-5 years for a business to start making a consistent profit. Anyone who says otherwise either had some substantial luck in the market or they’re lying. If you’re not making a profit in the first couple of months, that’s okay!
Do you have the willingness to see what can be viewed as failure at first? Are you willing to run a business in the red for a while? Can you take the risks as you try to build your client or customer base? If you’re not willing to go through the hard times, you don’t deserve a business that flourishes. And you’re not going to get it anyway!
Even if you do have success at first, there are hard times to come. Just look at how the pandemic changed things for many people. Look at the way AI is coming in and changing the way some businesses run. You have to be willing to sit there and tackle anything that can threaten your business model.
MORE: 5 tips to make money online with Rover
The drive and passion to make any business a success
You need to have the right mentality. This is more than just the willingness to push through things. You also need drive and passion for your business.
It’s important to enjoy what you do. If you don’t like serving people in a restaurant, you’re not going to put in the most effort. Sure, you know you should get better tips the harder you work, but that isn’t always the case. If you don’t also have passion for the job you’re doing, it’s going to start to show, and that affects your work.
The same applies to business*. Let’s say that you have heard that writing erotica will make you money. Do you have passion to write? You could get AI to do it, but are the books any good? If you don’t have passion for the writing or the product you’re selling, people will be able to tell. It shows in your marketing and in the finish of the product. People will turn to others who do have drive and passion.
Passion isn’t the only thing to help you succeed. You will still need a good business model and make sure there is an audience for your product or service. However, it’s much easier to do something when you have passion, and you will see more success from it.
The ability to say no to people
You may get influencers wanting your products for free to review. They can’t guarantee people buying from you, though. What they want is something free to help their own views. It is okay to say no to these people. Or you can select who you say yes or no to based on anything they have to show their reviews have led to sales.
There are all sorts of businesses who may want to collaborate with you, or maybe there are people who want a share of profits. Then there are those who want to use your services for free for credit.
You need to learn to say no. People need to buy your product or service. There is a risk they won’t, but this will be the difference between those who are able to run a successful business themselves and those who can’t.
Then there are people in your life who will want “mate’s rates” or they will want you to help them in some other way. They may not respect the business you have, or they may just not believe that you’re running a business. You’ll need to say no to these people. Spend your time growing your business and not on helping out others.
There is a narcissistic trait to being a successful business owner*, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that you can’t make charitable donations, but you want to avoid being walked all over. Do what’s right for your business.
MORE: 5 signs you’re ready to write full-time
What do you think is needed to make any business a success? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
