The number #1 barrier to getting a business off the ground is fear and I’ve shared tips and solutions on fear of failure and how to overcome this barrier for years. Today, I want to focus on the second biggest barrier to getting a business off the ground. What do you think it is? Money. Entrepreneurs struggle with access to enough money to stay in business until it becomes profitable. According to the US Small Business Administration, at any given time, there are roughly 27 million US businesses in need of capital.
In the past, access to money to build a business has been limited by a very small pool of people that we know or come in contact with. Reaching out to friends and family is how most entrepreneurs get started or maybe you bankrolled yourself initially by using a credit card (like me!). These tactics present a very narrow path to securing the much needed capital entrepreneurs need for expansion.
Enter Crowdfunding.
Yesterday, I decided to take myself out to lunch to one of my favorite local sushi restaurants. The tables at this eatery are quite close together so it’s easy (if sometimes uncomfortable) to overhear what your neighbor at the next table is discussing. I happened to sit down next to two men who were deep in conversation. As I sat there minding my own business, trying to focus on the NY Times, I couldn’t help but catch some of the conversation these two men were having. It goes something like this: “You know I just want to get my idea out there. I know it can be successful and yet there’s always that possibility that it will fall flat.” (Sound familiar?) The response from his dining companion? “I know.” By the way, this was his dining companion’s response the entire lunch. He could of actually had lunch alone and placed a tape recorder on the other side of the table that just repeated the words, “I know”, throughout the meal : -(.
One of the biggest challenges I see people struggle with is making decisions. There’s this burning need inside of us to avoid making a mistake when it comes to choosing one over the other. They key is to know when a decision really matters (“should I marry this guy?”) or is it a mere blip on the screen of your life (“What should I have for dinner?”). I, too, have had my share of sleepless nights over the “yes or no” of life, however over the years, I’ve developed a process that I take myself through when it’s time to ground myself in a decision:
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sunny fall day, I’m a bit at a loss on how to begin this article. This article isn’t any different from the others I share with you each week. As usual, it’s about my own life and the reflections that I believe are helpful to other Smart Women. This article is about loving deeply, giving gifts and feeling fear along the way. Sounds like something all women deal with—yes?
. I took a break from the mountains and headed to the desert for Jack Canfield’s, Breakthrough To Success Seminar. Jack Canfield is co-author of the “Chicken Soup For the Soul” books which have become wildly popular over the years. I’m meeting amazing, inspirational people from all over the world who’ve come here this week to take their lives to the next level of success.
for his hand and his coach felt that a new glove might be just the thing that he needed. We both enjoyed looking through all of the gloves. He tried on quite a few (The smell of all that leather was so wonderful!). He finally found a glove that was a perfect fit and away we went. He just happened to have baseball practice next so I was excited for him to try out his new purchase. As we approached the field, I noticed that Jack was beginning to feel both anxious and excited at the same time. He wanted to use his new glove but that feeling of being “comfortable” with the old glove took over. The new glove was a n unknown to Jack, so his performance with the new glove at this point was uncertain in his mind. He knew what he could do with the old glove. This got me thinking about how Smart Women feel the fear and do it anyway.