The five African Americans entrepreneurs featured
in this story each started their business for different reasons, such
as need resulting from losing a job, or family obligations that
required a lot of their time. There is one theme that resonates
throughout that drives them to succeed in running their businesses–
they love the new-found freedom of being the boss. They love being
creative, spontaneous and making their own business decisions. Also,
they each seem to understand that it takes time before seeing a profit
in their business, but because they are doing what they love, they know
the money will follow.
Most of them miss their former co-workers, but at
least one entrepreneur actually hired her former co-worker, and now
they are working together again. To staff their offices, many are using
interns or contract workers until they are able to hire full-time
staff. Talking to them gives a sense that it takes a lot of hard work,
and that running a business is not for the timid. One must be willing
to wear many hats until the business starts to make money. But the good
news is, they get to make their own decisions, and they can always
change their minds. After all, they are the bosses. They love the
flexibility of managing their own time that only business ownership
allows. Taking time off from work to attend to their family's needs
without going through several layers of bosses is priceless.
The most practical advice from these entrepreneurs
is that if you are employed and want to start a business, you should
learn all you can from your current job and boss, and start making your
business plans—make contacts, get licenses for the business, and set it
up before you are fired. The transition from
employee to boss can actually be accomplished the same day. Judging
from where some of the businesses are today, these business owners have
used that knowledge and experience to jump start their ventures and
seem to have been thoroughly prepared to go to the next phase when the
job loss occurred.
Although not yet making the salaries they left
behind, most agree that by owning their own business, they now have the
potential to make as much money as they would like to make. For most,
the experience seems to be enjoyable, exciting and challenging all at
the same time.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/
entrepreneurship-articles/business-flying-without-a-net-entrepreneurs
-starting-businesses-during-the-recession-3281240.html
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