Nine out of ten startups will fail. This is a hard and bleak truth, but one that you’d do well to meditate on. Challenges are everywhere. And businesses in general and startups in particular are no exception to the myriad of challenges that we face today.
In this blog post, I am going to elaborate on some of the biggest challenges being faced by small business startups.
Lack of Demand
The reason entrepreneurs need to validate that there’s a demand for the product is that entrepreneurs start out with a guess, not actual market research. Entrepreneurs guess that their product is something people want. Entrepreneurs guess that people want to pay them for their products even if that is not required by the market.
Ineffective Marketing
Entrepreneurs ready to build out a value statement. This is often called a value proposition or a unique selling proposition. “It does what it says on the tin.” Create a content marketing strategy to generate leads. Distribute the content on all channels like social media, blog posts, and websites.
Knowledge and Skills Gaps
While an entrepreneur may not have an extensive business background or a certain type of skill, usually this is solved by hiring to cover weak points. Yet, many entrepreneurs may not know what they don’t know and thus don’t always bring on people who can fill in the gaps. Consider outsourcing your marketing to an expert if you lack the time and skills to do the job yourself.
Financial Management
Cash flow is the money that moves in and out of your business. When you make more money than you spend, you have a positive cash flow. With 61% of small businesses struggling with cash flow. Gathering the proper tools and educational resources to understand and manage your business’s finances takes time, but it’ll save you a lot of stress and money. Don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t understand something.
Hiring the Right People
With this growth, the biggest challenge startups face is recruitment. startups and scaleup companies need to streamline their recruitment strategies with a blend of agencies and direct hiring. Proactive and direct recruitment strategies include market mapping of talent to identify potential recruits, brand development through content on social media and eng,aging with a specialist headhunter to take advantage of their channels and networks.
Leadership
The biggest challenge that leaders at start-ups face is what I like to call mixing up “Leadership Courage’ with “Bravado.’ There is a thin line between the two. Several co-founders have a lot of bravadoes, which in many cases has been a key element in their success – their willingness to take daunting risks. But on the flip side, bravado could also lead to arrogance.
Securing Funding
While some business owners bootstrap their ventures, others turn to outside funding to grow their businesses. There’s a lot to consider if you go this route, including how much money you need, the loan’s repayment terms, your credit score, and when you need the funds. Not every kind of funding will work for your business, so determine exactly what your business needs too make an informed decision.
