Thursday 29 September 2011

Don’t let your Big Business Ideas Follow you into the Grave

By Arnold Mutugi

So you have this big idea but like majority of folks today, your pockets are full of holes or you are plainly broke? Don’t let that business idea go to hell or heaven with you. There are many ways you can share your idea with the world and get a financial backing, a missed miracle that has been crippling you for all along. However, you should be cautious before you share your ideas to the opportunists who already have abundance of idle finances but are poor when it comes to ideas.  

Write a Business Plan
For God sake, this is the cheapest way of selling your ‘self coveted’ idea. A business plan is an outline of how you can implement a business and bring in profits, if you had funds. Well, before you even rush to draft one, you should know that writing a business plan is like writing fiction: it must make sense or must be credible. Don’t describe plans that will transform slums into first class estates in an overnight move. Believe me; nobody will want to fund that! What you need to do is to do a thorough research on how to write a competitive business plan. Also, check out the structural requirements of the firm that you want to sell your idea to because different firms have different expectations on the business plans.

Outsource a Donor
Sounds like begging; something that you can’t bend too low for? Come on, nobody will even know that you bootlicked somebody else out there. Donors are good hearted people. They are not like that stingy neighbour who will not lend you a cup of water because there will be a water rationing spell the following week! You can outsource a donor from online sources or even befriend a local one. Or you still imagine donors are white haired Caucasians?

Share your Ideas with Friends
Honestly, some will not even know what you are talking about. Some will just yell, “Oh yeah, you’ve got a good plan there,” and when behind your back they will yell, “that man lives in his own world. The daydreams he has!” Well, be sure to share your ideas with friends who have the same interests like yours. Additionally, your friends might not be of help when it comes to collaboration, but they may encourage you or even link you up with fellows who may help you. A word of precaution: never share your ideas with untrustworthy fellows. Your friends may use you and dump you when you are about to kiss poverty goodbye.

Seek Alternatives
 You should not be stuck with a single idea because when you think about it gives you goose pimples. Your idea may have manageable options if you conduct a little research. And who said you cannot approach your problem in a myriad of ways? One great way is to find a way out by determining the most probable solution to your problem. Well, if you are still stuck with your idea? Just dismiss it because it is an obsessive daydream! 

4 comments:

  1. thanks. Most people have great dreams. Problem is, they dont know how to live them

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the article. I will be very honest with you. I have come to the conclusion that in terms of business ideas, most Nairobians are not creative.

    Earlier this year, I had the chance to observe a new business building being taken up by tenants for the first time. Guess what businesses the tenants were opening? The same ones on the next building, or the opposite street and so on.

    Do you want us to be innovators or copycats? Is there such thing as a good copycat?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think there is so much hype around entrepreneurship...especially in these jobless times...and since most people don't want to do the hardwork, well, they do just what you say...following the easy and beaten path. This is hardly how to grow.

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by. We value your comments.

How to Sign Documents on the Electronic Signature Platform

By Kevin Peterson Signatures play an important role in the various types of business transactions. Most businesses in the world require...