Tag: business success

8 Ways to Determine Whether Your Business Future is Bright

Throughout the lives of our career, we must make several choices that can directly determine and impact our future success. Sometimes it’s pretty easy to tell when we’ve made the right choice, but many other results from decisions we’ve made are less clear. How do we know when our choices are effectively leading us down the path to future success? Having the foresight to weigh all options, and the resources to be properly informed is key to making a strong success prediction. Find out how you can improve your chances for success by staying on the right path with these tips.

success
Image by uuuhyeah / Flickr

1. Recognition

Recognition from your boss or management, and even from co-workers, is important for many reasons. It keeps you feeling good and motivated, but also lets you know that you’ve done a good job. Strong recognition from peers is a pretty good indicator for a success prediction, letting you know that whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it right.

2. Motivation

So long as you can stay motivated and excited about the work you do, you’ll likely be able to perform your job responsibilities effectively and successfully. We all have lapses in motivation from time to time, but so long as these lapses are only short and temporary, you’ll be able to feel accomplished and fulfilled.

3. You Are Well Organized

Strong organizational skills are a common cliché skill listed on many resumes, but how many of us really possess such a skill. If you can stay focused and organized throughout the day, on a daily basis, then you’ll be well on your way to improving your chances for success. Staying organized helps you improve your productivity and keep things running smoothly, also serving to reduce stress.

4. You Possess Expertise or a Special Skill

If you can establish yourself as an expert on a particular subject, or can excel in a skill or trade that sets you apart from others, then you’ll be able to better improve your chances for success. Your work or knowledge will be valued and sought out, and you’ll be an asset to your team or company.

5. How Do Others View You?

This is a different aspect than simply receiving recognition for the work you’ve done. Do your co-workers respect you? Do they see you as a team player? Are you a good communicator? Do they perceive you as someone deserving of recognition, or simply singled out as the bosses pet? Perception may not always paint the most accurate picture of you, as everyone sees things a little differently. But the more positive perception other possess of you, the more you can use that as a gauge for your success prediction.

6. Do You Make Rash Decisions, Or Analyze Choices Carefully?

As stated previously, there will be any decisions you will face along the path to success, and making the right choices will directly impact your future. If feasible, you should always take the time to analyze both the short-term and long-term effects of any decision you make. Taking the time to think things through and make an informed decision will help to improve your analytical skills, which is beneficial for both yourself and your company.

7. What Have Your Accomplished?

This should be an obvious clue, but many often overlook it, thinking they are doing well when in actuality they are pretty much staying in place. You can’t be successful without accomplishing anything. What projects have you completed? Have you gotten any promotions? Are you acquiring new skills? Anything that can be seen as a betterment to yourself, your skills, or your body of work can be seen as a suitable accomplishment.

8. Are You Using Your Talents?

It’s no good having a great skill set if you don’t get the option to use it often. Make good use of your skills, whether they apply to a particular trade, or if they are a reputable quality such as being a good communicator, salesman, or team leader. Using your skills well, will only serve to improve your talents as you gain more experience, subsequently improving your chances for future success.

About the Author: Jennifer Carter writes on career advancement for Outbounding.com. In her spare time she’s quite handy and is currently working on the 40 hour hazwoper training from Etraintoday.com

Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Last

They say that if you want to earn unlimited income, you have to start your own business. No wonder that there are a lot of people who immediately resign from their jobs. Yes, that can be a great plan if you want financial freedom. However, it’s not that easy. You have to think twice, in fact you have to think a lot of times. If you will not plan your business right, you’ll end up bankrupted.

As much as you want to become your own boss, you need to prepare properly. You have to know the risks involved.

In this article, I will briefly explain some of the reasons why more than half of small businesses die.

They are too excited. This is one of the most common reasons why businesses falter in no time. We want to open up our own business even without careful research. Establishing your own trade doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, some successful business owners spent months, even years of preparation, so they can create a long running industry.

Your adrenalin might be at its peak. But don’t let that excitement push you to start something which you aren’t prepared for.

They usually join the ‘business trend’. It’s a big No for you to become a ‘copy – cat’. One business idea might be good in some locations. However, it might not be the best for you. You have to be original. You need to have fresh ideas.

Trends or fads are not forever. Are you going to establish a business that is just for a period of time? I don’t think you like that, right?

out of business
Image: AR McLin / Flickr

They lack promotion. In promoting your business, you have to be aggressive and personal. Don’t take this for granted. How can your business grow if no one knows it? I believe that most business fail in the first few months because they were not able to advertise it properly. You don’t have to spend so much. You can just send messages to your friends and I’m sure they would be willing to share the news with their friends too. Aside from that, you can maximize the social media. It would be nice if you will create your own business page in Facebook. You can also make a twitter account. There are so many ways to promote your business. Invest time for it if you want to be successful.

They don’t keep track of the inventory. Most business owners are busy counting their money. The problem is, they don’t check their inventory. That is very important. A lot of my friends who started their businesses thought that they were doing well only because they have money at the end of the day. But after few months, they realized that the money at hand is not equal to their inventory. And with further investigation, they found out that a clerk stole some items from them.

This can be avoided if you are strict in checking your inventory. Make it a regular habit.

They are not hands on. Even if you are the boss, it doesn’t mean that you have the license to be lousy. You shouldn’t depend the success of your business to your staff. You have to be on top of the game. Being a boss has a lot of responsibilities and being a couch potato is not one of those.

Now, you know what are the worst things you can do for your business. Plan carefully and be consistent so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in no time.

About the Author: Toni Okeson writes for a great welding school site. If you want to start a career or a small stick welding business, you should try reading their resources.