Finding courage to start your dream

Written by Babatunde Fajimi - Nigeria

Babatunde Fajimi 

Entrepreneurs require a wealth of courage to start when they are confronted with challenges posed by the difficulties of finding ideal locations for their dream start-ups. Entrepreneurs are wealthy because they are audacious and would-be entrepreneur should have ideas and courage in abundance.

The poor don't do business

Poor people neither venture into business nor have the temerity to do so. Our portrait of the poor is not that of individuals who do not have millions of money in their bank accounts. Money may not be enough, time may not be favourable and ideal locations may be far-fetched but if you have an inexhaustible wealth of courage, that is all you need to creatively jumpstart your dream venture.

Neither do cowards

First of all, you have to overcome your cowardice.

Rachael confided in her counselor. "I have my fears," she said. "Everything is set for my new venture. The business plan is ready. My seed capital is available. The nagging headache I have now is that my real estate agent cannot find me an ideal location. What he got was too expensive than I could not afford it. I want a budget office space in the ideal location and may have to suspend my dreams until I am able to accumulate enough funds," she concluded with dejection on her face.

The courage to start is what separates entrepreneurs from other people. The former launched out with audacity but the latter got intimidated by the environment and post-pone their dreams.

Recover your dreams from inertia

People who postpone their dream ventures can recover them from their inertia and resuscitate your business ideas again.

We live in interesting times. As recessive as the world economy, global forces of information technology, telecommunications and transportation converge to support you reclaim your dreams. You can begin your business ventures even when you do not have your ideal office locations yet.

Strategies to start from unconventional locations

There are unconventional locations you can creatively annex to jumpstart your business once you understand the principles for doing business and engaging customers in contemporary times. We will discuss some of these unconventional locations today, and consider the principles that guarantee sustainability in the next edition.

Unlike the traditional or ideal office locations, unconventional locations offer you convenience, flexibility, nimbleness and low-cost you require as a start-up entrepreneur, particularly if you are working with a shoe-string budget in a lean time.

You can work from home

This is your low hanging fruit. It is very easy to set up. Your home is a ready-to-use office space that does not require efforts and expenses to set up.

You can begin online

The most potent strategy today is to open shop on the Internet. You begin to immediately reach out to many customers, and make money without stress. The start-up cost could be reasonable depending on the hosting platform you subscribe to.

You can co-locate with like-minded entrepreneurs

If you are unable to afford to rent in an ideal location, you can co-locate with like-minded entrepreneurs who operate different businesses from yours. You should align your decision with your personalities, temperaments and businesses.

You can rent an office on needs-basis or pay-as-you-go

There are organisations that provide office spaces for start-ups. You can use these facilities for your office contact address, hold meetings and receive clients. You can also use their secretarial services for your correspondence and mailing needs. You rent the space on a needs-basis or pay-as-you-go arrangement.

You can consider a mobile office

If you are in retail business, and have to supply goods to your customers, you can use a transportable office to execute your dreams. Your automobile readily serves as your office. You move around, and do your businesses anywhere you find yourself or your customers.

You can embrace the back-pack company model

The back-pack culture is currently trending among the younger generation. You can also leverage on this culture to create a mobile business that promotes your idea. Your office is technology-driven. You carry your office with you anywhere you go. You can work from and serve your clients anywhere in the world: the cafe; restaurant; beach; on the road.

You can go itinerant

Traditionally, we are itinerant traders. Although the back-pack generation is gradually taking over, our communities are still largely rural. You can leverage on this demographic structure and take your goods and services to this target market. You do not need to compete in a saturated market.

You can create new market opportunities for yourself if you learn to go to unconventional locations and targets; they remain underserved. Complacent entrepreneurs sit back and complain that there is no patronage whilst the itinerant entrepreneurs are all over the place marketing their products and services to new and existing customers.

You can work from client's office location

You can collaborate with your clients and have an arrangement where you use their office premises to carry out their work for them. This model should not interfere with the work of their employees or disrupt your own effectiveness.