By: Mary Juetten
In my previous post of the series, I talked about questioning the status quo of your industry. In this installment, I’m discussing the virtue of starting slow.
Many entrepreneurs are looking to hit the ground running when they start their business. They’re filled with enthusiasm about their ideas and plans and are looking to make the most of their opportunity while they can, especially if they think they’ve hit upon a new product or a new segment of the market that their competitors haven’t yet. But that excitement and energy are best harnessed to a more cautious and calculated approach to the very early stages of the business, particularly with what seems like administrative issues. For all the opportunity that exists, there are also dangers and potential mistakes that lie in wait for those that proceed by skipping over fundamentals.
One of the earliest mistakes you can make in starting your business is trying to build something upon things you don’t own. You might have a great idea for a product that someone else has already dreamt up and created. Or you might have landed upon the perfect name for our business that is already in use by another company that you weren’t aware of at the time. Doing some initial research of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office before you start putting work into a startup can save you time and heartache of having to redo or scrap your work, or the more costly legal headache of potential infringement and legal action.
Once you’ve ensured that your ideas are free and clear of infringement upon others’ intellectual property, you’ll want to make sure that everything you’re putting out for the public is creating the best impression possible for your company. In the current landscape, your website is the face of your company to those who are looking to learn more about what you’re doing. Some small companies or solo entrepreneurs take the approach of getting up a website quickly and worrying about revamping it going forward. But even in those early days, your website can create a negative impression if it is filled with typos and broken links or missing functionality. Your first website doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, but it should be professional, showing that you are serious about your business and pay attention to detail.
Read More >> https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryjuetten/2018/08/02/twenty-tips-for-startup-success-part-seventeen-start-slow/#f1b03a71f136
