INTRODUCTION
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
The way airplanes take off is similar to the activation of visions. It starts with positive thinking to break the law of limitation that is keeping you on the floor. The few ways to a breakthrough in business are the bird's eye view, by:
*Having a vision of where you're going.
*Starting with what you have or can afford.
*Learning from mistakes.
*Aiming to be better.
PART I
EXPAND YOUR VISION
CHAPTER ONE
Ignite Your Flight: Putting Vision in Motion
T.D Jakes was asked how he has been able to survive his multiple works. But, the simple answer was in the life of his father, how he hustled by doing multiple jobs to feed the family and meet the family's needs.
The quite unfortunate thing was when his father settled for a janitorial service, he spent his time being busy, and doing it all alone instead of organizing the business itself. This is simply because of the limited vision the business had, so it could not go too far.
Undue hunger for profits, Lack of vision, wrong decisions, and other mistakes have made lots of people live unfulfilled lives full of struggles, debts, and sufferings. When all they could have done was to retrace their visions and amend their plans to be more lucrative.
We also need to know that living on ideas from the past might be disastrous and ruin one, so one must hunt for new innovative ideas to stand out business-wise.
CHAPTER TWO
Winds and Trends: Know Your Conditions
One of the basic things to do as an entrepreneur is to start from scratch, so you can know the process and follow it. Only a person that understands this will be able to pilot his business. Starting something new is like flying in a path you don't know before, you need counseling about the weather and wind, because you will have to face storms in the business, and only your readiness will scale you through.
One of the logics to have a successful business is by identifying the needs of problems at that particular time and meeting them. These problems could be lacked or offered. These might entail initiating the modified version of an existing product or service, giving an existing product/service a different approach to the previous ones or, bringing in an entirely new product or service that is needed. If service and a product existing before will be offered, one needs to do serious research, to be sure they won't be outdated in the shortest while.
Distance should also be considered when it comes to providing goods are services, so as to know what to provide. Another one is narrowing the possibility of reaching you from the expected customers, with questions of reality. As time goes on and with the help of God, you'll achieve big.
CHAPTER THREE
Damsel Arise!: When the Wind Is Blowing Your Way
It has been noticed that women all over have left the stage where they exhaust themselves in the kitchen. They are now making waves in the business and entrepreneurship line. Women are now even doing better than men economically. Many black women are compared to the expected white women.
The story of Miss Robbie Montgomery is an entrepreneurial motivational story. She learned how to cook from her mum. She was an international musician but her health condition stopped the musical dream, which led her into cooking, in which she's blooming, now. One of the humbling parts of Montgomery is that she started her cooking business small, and grew. It is important to note that growing a business by using your resources to start your vision is not poverty.
As an entrepreneur you must learn how to made do with your levels per time, like managing the available resources to solve problems, not mainly making money. When you start a new business the aim shouldn't be about making money, but the money will come as you are solving problems.
PART II
BUILD YOUR WINGS
CHAPTER FOUR
It Takes Two: Inspiration and Innovation
As one proceeds in life, situations will cage one to want to give up, but one should keep pressing and hoping for the best, rather than giving in or giving up. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, the mistake you are afraid of might be your breakthrough. So always be bold to act no matter what might happen.
Innovation is doing what is existing in a new way or style such that there is no reduction in its value. Doing a thing repeatedly in a specific way makes a product and a service boring. But adding flavor and values from the previous in different ways makes it very interesting and lucrative.
One mistake entrepreneurs make marketing business and hoping to reach a peak within the shortest while, instead of growing. And when the peak they wish for comes, they can't handle the responsibility so they fall eventually. Just the way birds learn how to fly by practicing constantly, don't give up on your dreams till you actualize them.
CHAPTER FIVE
Flight Plan: Your Blueprint for Success
Just like one won't want to fly just for adventure, the same with a reasonable entrepreneur, you won't want to start a business just for the purpose of starting, but to arrive at a successful destination.
To get to one's destination, a flight plan is needed which can also be likened to a business plan. A business plan is a self-explanatory note that tells the starting point, steps, and destination of one's business. It is also the process needed to get there.
The silver bridge collapsed because it was carrying more than the weight it was designed to carry. This is also applicable to stress in one's business, you tend to break down when you're too occupied with duties and stress. There are few ways to relieving yourself of the stress, it can be taking a break/vacation or division of labor/duty among able hands. But dividing responsibilities factors on the reference to the business plan.
The task of producing an airplane was not an easy one for the Wright brothers, but they never gave up. Such can also be found in businesses when ups and downs come your way in the entrepreneurial adventure, but one should not give up. It always pays in the end.
Also, the business plan should not be compromised for any reason as there will be many suggestions for comprise, but you alone have the plan and should not dissuade from it.
CHAPTER SIX
Invisible Wings: Riding the Winds of E-Commerce
If a proper observation is being done, one will discover going to the market or shopping complex might be stressful and time-consuming. This then made online shopping the only option left. If one must be needed in this present age one must take his/her business digital i.e. to the internet. Hence, the e-commerce system of business shouldn't be taken for granted. To get the best out of this, go and check other platforms as a customer and look out for what you don't like or can be better, so as to include it in yours.
After all these, it seems it requires being an expert to have all these done but it doesn't. We have people who know about this and could be consulted to create a site and also to get referrals.
Also, try and learn how to market your products. Be sure of the personality of people you will be dealing with, either young, old, male or female, age limits, and others. Learn to investigate other things your customers and this will help in expanding your business.
One important thing about e-commerce is earning the trust of the customers. There are many other people on the internet that might be fake but what gives a safe landing is their trust. The ways you can get their trust are through consistency, quality, and adaptability.
Consistency is when your values, images, and ads portray your business. Quality is when your business and its ads on the e-platform can withstand competition and defend its values in the presence of other businesses. Adaptability is when a business still retains its values with time.
PART III
CLEAR THE CLOUDS
CHAPTER SEVEN
Flight Crew: Assembling Your Dream Team
Starting a crew or team in your business requires lots of care and expertise. First, try not to stock your team with family and friends, that can be dangerous. Trying to bring out the best in them without losing your relationship with them. Relationship with staff also matters to communicate the mission and vision of the business so they run with them, and strive to employ the tested and trusted best, the progress of the business should be the priority of everyone.
Ground crew
The crew comprises the Supporters, Advisers, and Mentors.
Supporters are the set of people mostly family members are the people who care for what matters to allow you to concentrate on your vision, even though they don't know much about your vision.
Advisers are the people who have probably been entrepreneurs too and will be there to advise you on what to do and also the danger or blessings of a decision.
Mentors combine the function of supporters and advisers, they are most difficult to choose or maintain. Probably this is due to their age (i.e. if they are young), their busy schedules, and other reasons, but they must be more experienced and good at what you do.
Flight crew
Beyond mentoring and advising is the path of investment. Decide how much you can invest in your business but don't try investing all your resources into the business. It is risky. Before calling for investors, make sure your plan for the business is written down and the modes of the sponsorship are documented too. It is advisable to get an attorney for a better understanding before documents are signed. Family or familiar people should never be allowed in without agreements. There should be boundaries around the business.
If the family will be involved in the business, there must be a strict agreement before the work commences that family issues will be kept discrete from work and vice versa.
What customers want exceeds what we provide for them, but the solutions solved for them will bring them. The approach and interaction with a customer matter a lot to determine if they will come back or not. Another crucial point is establishing relationships with our competitors, competing does not make one enemy. Through this relationship, one learns from the partner's mistakes to correct or the well doings to imitate. Even a merger might happen to make the two businesses a giant in the location.
CHAPTER EIGHT
What Goes Up Must Come Down: Entrepreneurial Leadership
Just the way pilots plan on how to land before taking off, an entrepreneur should try and have a vision for a business. No matter how much he rises, if he doesn't think about the necessities for failure, he might fail eventually. At the start of the business, popularity should be the lesser priority but the business would announce itself based on the values you provide. Don't give up just be consistent with your vision for it to pay off.
The 3Ts to success are; talent, time, and tenacity. One needs the required talent, strength, and skill to start a business. After which one is expected to be consistent and persistent for a period of time for the business to start coming to the limelight. Qualities required of a good entrepreneur include possessing a great leadership skill, not being on your own and having a good human relationship, being humble to ask questions from the people that have gone ahead, and being ready to make immediate decisions wisely.
Every good leader must be to see problems before they approach and know the needed ones to avoid and the ones to confront too. Surround yourself with workers that think positive and diligent two actualize it.
CHAPTER NINE
Fail Fast and Crash Last: Entrepreneurial Leadership
Some mistakes can't be avoided but while trying to correct their ripple effect the customers/passenger's safety should be considered first. Though not everyone can be satisfied in a business but the ones around us should have their needs met and problems solved. Instead of acting out of context and going off the track to satisfy the ones, not around us, the ones around should be the major priority.
Another mistake is the grown-ups are finding it difficult to adjust to the technology age, which entails using gadgets to converse or advertise a business. But if their hard work and technology can be combined, it would be more beneficial. Look ahead to your destination per time, but don't rush. Don't take steps beyond your capacities, such as making budgets beyond your capacity and others.
No matter how one tries, failure, at times, is almost inevitable. It might come in any way to challenge you or pull you down, but you should always learn from them to get better.
PART IV
SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS
CHAPTER TEN
Growing Forward: Minding Your Own Business
How do you know when it's time to shift your location?
When you discover that you have explored the "best" there, yet you know that you're not close to being the best within you. Then you need a location that will explore the best in you. Every business must satisfy the purpose, profit, and power criteria. Just like the parable of the talents, we're expected by Jesus to maximize every bit of our talents and gifts, not comparing ourselves with others but just doing our best to improve.
Make sure that you are always on the move to improve, the advance of even relocate as stated earlier. Make sure you are never relaxed at any point. At a point, you might need to call for the assistance of a professional in some aspects of your business, like financial and tax aspects. But the financial aspect should never be totally handed over, you should monitor every financial activity strictly.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Miracle of Marketing: Burning Your Bushel to Fly Higher
If you have ever read T.D Jakes's books, watched movies with his name, or seen other activities with his name on them. It might seem too much but there shouldn't be a limit to one's venture. In fact, there should always be space for advancement and yet be attached to one's mission. If you consider Jesus feeding the 5000, it was a way he marketed his ministry the same way there's no point starting a business without an audience.
Always know when to change the name of the business or rather be careful to give the business an attractive name, this draws customer's attention a lot. Aside from the name makes sure it correlates with the logo and has a very good motto to describe your business. Then go to the media TV and others to communicate your market with a corresponding feeling of affection.
Who you know might help market your business, like when a celebrity rocks your designer products it eventually goes viral.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
New Frontiers: Creating Your Legacy
Some people reading this book might have business ideas for years, which has always remained as ideas and has never been actualized. I advise you to go take a step and start from somewhere or start something. Some may think they're too old and there's no chance again that's not true it's better you start something first and get rid of every form of age limit limiting you from achieving.
The next thing to do is believe and have faith that it will work out for you. But this faith without works won't work in fact it will seem dead. Try and ask questions and also impact, no matter how far you have there's always someone that has gone before or trying to achieve what you have achieved so simply ask the ones ahead of you and teach the ones coming behind you. If you are still waiting for the right time to start or trying to avoid regrets and mistakes, you might never start. But the advice is for you to start anyway, else you will regret your negligence later in life. Don't fly but Soar!
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