Start a Business in 2016

Make it Your New Years Resolution to Start a Business

Now that 2016 is finally here, many of us will make new years resolutions. Perhaps you will resolve to get back in shape, spend more time with family, learn a new language, or take up a musical instrument.

But there is one resolution I believe everyone should consider above all of these: starting a business in 2016.

In 2015, it was my new years resolution to start a business – and I am really glad I did. Even now the future is still uncertain, but things are moving in the right direction and it has become my full-time job.

Even if it doesn’t become your full-time job, though, you can start a side project. You can do something you enjoy part-time if and until it reaches the point of profitability.

It’s my belief that too many of us will never do this, though, because we have been conditioned into thinking we cannot. From my own experience and discussions with others, it seems many of us subconsciously believe we need the support of an employer.

There’s no doubt starting a business or launching a product can be a huge investment of time, money, and effort. But then there are also very simple businesses that require little more than a few hours per week.

Some Part-Time Business Ideas

Like photography? Post a few ads on Craigslist and start doing some paid work on the weekends. Build up a few reviews on Yelp, and eventually setup a basic website to start building your brand. Run a few ads online and through other local channels and see where it goes.

Like surfing? One of my friend’s friends posted one ad in a magazine for custom-built wooden surf racks, and to his surprise he got a flood of orders within the first few weeks. It turned into a $60K/yr business nearly overnight.

Like writing? Open up Microsoft Word and write at least 2,500 words and you’ll qualify to publish your ebook on Amazon’s kindle platform. It’s easier than you think – anyone can do it in a matter of minutes without any fancy formatting or knowledge needed. As a case in point, while my craigslist book is over 300 pages, my book about planning and starting your first business is only about 90 pages and has actually done better in sales.

The most important thing is getting started.

There are a million more ideas depending on what you enjoy (and what you believe there is a market for). The most important thing is making the commitment to get started.

It doesn’t matter if things aren’t perfect, if you fail, or if things don’t go as planned. It doesn’t matter if you only have a few hours a week to devote to it. You don’t need to spend weeks or months crafting the perfect plan. You really just need a vision and the desire to go for it.

Personally, I have endured more failures than I’d care to admit. Surely there are still more ahead, too. But without those experiences, I also wouldn’t have the successes I have enjoyed.

Life is short.

Many people have been surveyed on their death bed and asked what they would’ve done differently, if they could go back and do it all over again.

Quite a few say they would have worked less and spent more time with family. They would’ve taken that vacation they never took. They would have pursued their passions with more vigor.

To put things into context in an extreme way, the sun is guaranteed to explode in some odd million or billion years. We are but a spec of dust in the greater cosmos. And even without all that, your life will most likely be limited to 100 years or less of living.

Basically, life is short – and as much as we get caught up in the importance of our daily activities, perhaps there is deeper meaning to be found if we look.

Starting a business isn’t a sure path to deeper meaning, but it can be a pleasant endeavor, especially if you enjoy creating things and taking on a challenge. By getting started now, you will probably be glad you did later regardless of the outcome.