Are You Ready for Business?

Please note that NAPW occasionally allows guests to post to our blog. These views in no way reflect the views of the National Association of Professional Women.

Taking the leap into starting up your own business can be a daunting, while exciting prospect. More and more women are taking up the challenge to run their own successful business. For other women, getting ready for business may be getting ready to return to a career after a break from illness, or for family commitments. For still others it may be a decision to decide to leave a disappointing job and work from home instead. Whatever your reasons it is important to face any new venture with professionalism and confidence.

The first thing you need is a plan. If you are starting your own business ensure that you have taken the time to fully develop your business plan. If necessary you could hire someone to help you do this. Having a plan needs to be concrete, and well thought through if you are going to have any chance of success.

If you are returning to work have a plan in mind as to where you want to go. Plan ahead and brush up on your interview skills. Rekindle your old network, or if need be start a new network. Join groups and go to meetings. NAPW is the largest professional women's association in the country! Click here if you are interested in learning more about The National Association of Professional Women.

If you are going to be working from home have you planned out a sure way to succeed? If you need to use the phone for your business do you have a plan for not being interrupted by family members? Do you have a working space set up that has everything you need to work your business?

NAPW members have found that goal setting is of course important to any successful business. Goals need to be both long term and short term. As well as identifying your goals you need to be able to plan out exactly how you are going to achieve them.

If you plan to work from home or you are starting up a new business do you have the time and the skills to do everything you need, or will you need to outsource some of your work, or hire someone to help in some other capacity? What do you see as your own role in your business?

Is your wardrobe ready? If you getting ready for interviews, or going to meetings do you have clothes ready to give the professional look you want? If you are going to be working from home you may think it is not important what you wear, but it is. You may need to dress up each day for the office, but how committed to business do you really think you will be sitting around in your pajamas all day? Clothes are as much about how you feel as how you look.

Do you have a mentor? This is not a necessity for business but it really can help if you are starting a new venture or working alone. A mentor will be there to encourage and to give that extra push when you need it. Having support and encouragement will keep you on track and help you ensure that you really are ready for business.