![\"Just](\"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2004\/07\/unternehmer.jpg\" "\\"Young")
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Be honest, I'm sure you've all made smart remarks about other people's businesses, like 'I would do the advertising this way' or 'that's stupid, no one will buy there with that logo'....<\/p>\n
And what good are we at giving advice when acquaintances tell us about problems in their small or medium-sized businesses.<\/p>\n
But when we take the step into self-employment at some point, we realise that we have no idea about any of this, because reality is different from our fantasy-spun ideal world.<\/p>\n
And so it happens that we, as newcomers to business, all make the same mistakes over and over again.<\/p>\n
I would like to give you a little help from experience, so that you may already be a few steps ahead when you start.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The choice of business partner.<\/strong><\/p>\n Just be careful to whom you contractually bind yourself. The well-known rule of thumb is: separate business from pleasure! This doesn't mean that you should get involved with complete strangers, but your best friend probably has completely different ideas than you do, and if your business relationship falls apart, so does your friendship.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, I didn't always stick to it myself, contrary to my inner feelings. A very good friend, with whom I recently opened a retail shop, was in complete agreement with me and my ideas until it came to selling. Now we are enemies.<\/p>\n Here is an example: we had agreed beforehand that we would vote on each decision. She had one vote, I had one vote and another vote came from a predetermined third party. This system guarantees that there is always a clear result. Theoretically.<\/p>\n But in most cases I could not even motivate her to vote officially, or she simply ignored the result if it was against her own idea.<\/p>\n So my tip: If possible, be the sole boss. You either do everything on your own or find a silent partner who only helps you financially but has nothing to say.<\/p>\n Do not frantically try to get everyone as a customer<\/strong><\/p>\n Even though selling is the be-all and end-all of any company, you can't force your product on everyone. Depending on the situation, it can even be better for the business if you send a customer to the competition. The important thing is that the customer has the feeling that he is being advised in the best possible way and, above all, in his best interest. Honesty pays off!<\/p>\n Example: I can finish my product to the customer in about 5 days if everything goes normally. Maybe, with a bit of luck and an extra shift, I can do it in 3 days. Very important: by all means be honest with the customer and explain this to him. Under no circumstances should I promise him his goods for tomorrow, because he is in a hurry and I might lose that one sale. If I make a false promise and then have to confess the next day that the product is not ready, the customer will probably get angry, and next time he will certainly go to the competition. It is better to tell the customer the truth right from the start. He will then either go elsewhere, but with the good feeling of having been advised fairly and honestly, or (usually the case) he will be satisfied with the delivery time, because he is not really in such a hurry.<\/p>\n In the first case, the customer might go somewhere else, but then find that it takes just as long there.<\/p>\n In the second case, the customer appreciates the honesty and then plans for more delivery time next time.<\/p>\n Furthermore, it is important to say under this point that my product is not necessarily something for every customer. It is important to find that out in conversation with the customer.<\/p>\n It's no use trying to talk an Eskimo into a fridge and then he spends money with me, but when he gets back to the North Pole he finds he doesn't need a fridge. He will then be highly dissatisfied and remember our name badly. If he wants to buy a stove in the future, he won't come to me again because he feels he's been had.<\/p>\n Instead, I prefer to tell him directly that a refrigerator would not be right for him, and maybe, if I am savvy enough, I will offer him another of my products. But that is less important than openness. In 1998, I started a telecommunications shop. At that time, of course, I thought image was everything and went straight for it: fancy shop with designer inventory, logo designed especially for me and, of course, business cards, all kinds of office supplies just in case. I then found that every cent I spent had to come back twice before I made a profit. That's a lot of phones to sell first. I quickly slipped into the red and it simply took too long for the business to become profitable.<\/p>\n As I was not willing (and not able) to invest much for my next attempt as a self-employed person, (as a sign maker), I started very small. I bought the bare essentials cheaply in China and otherwise used my private items. My \"shop\" consisted of a cleared corner of my living room. I only bought the 5 most common colours of raw material (PVC). If a customer wanted other colours, he had to wait until I had bought them from the wholesaler with his advance.<\/p>\n Of course it was slow going, as I had to rely on my home-printed flyers for advertising, but as word got around about my shop, things took off. From each profit I took something to put into the shop for improvement, but always so little that I still had enough left over myself.<\/p>\n The shop still exists today. It has now moved into a proper office and has several computers, a new machine and lots of raw material. When it became successful, a neighbour of mine wanted to be part of it. As he had no equity himself, he now works on the signs every day, while the profit is shared with me. However, it is also a mistake to be too stingy. So you should rather hire a professional if his result is more appropriate than your homemade one. It is absolutely necessary to compare the price and performance of the equipment, as the cheapest equipment is not necessarily cheaper to maintain later on. Or the slightly more expensive machine works more efficiently and productively than the cheaper model, i.e. you can produce more product in the same time. Don't settle for the outdated home computer so that you spend more time repairing it than producing profit.<\/p>\n Of course, it is difficult to make the right decision. When am I too stingy, when am I too wasteful? It is best to seek advice from someone you respect. Sometimes it becomes obvious just by talking about it.<\/p>\n Do not listen to your inner voice<\/strong><\/p>\n Intuition is one of the most important predispositions as a self-employed person. Many a huge contract between two business giants is concluded only because the managing director had a 'good feeling' about it. Logic plays only a subordinate role. If you make your most important business decisions based only on logic, you will most likely fall flat on your face.<\/p>\n Sometimes it's hard to say no when everything seems right but my gut is against it. Very often I realise later that my intuition was right and regret not having listened to it.<\/p>\n The inner voice plays a very important role in business decisions. Therefore, try to consult your intuition. Our subconscious often perceives things we are not aware of and bases its decision on these perceptions. Don't forget: the subconscious is our best friend and has the same life experience as we do. Therefore, we should let it have its say.<\/p>\n Assume that a contract will be honoured<\/strong><\/p>\n I have made the mistake so many times myself and still do. Unfortunately, I am quite naive when it comes to other fellow human beings. I often assume that they think the same as I do.<\/p>\n For me, a written contract means that I am bound to the thing. So I take that for granted with others as well. But most business people are more ruthless and hard-nosed than I am. If they sign a contract and then change their mind, they don't care what happens to me and my piece of legally binding paper. Should I then go to court every time? Apart from the legal fees incurred, which I have to present in any case, it costs a lot of time and nerves and is not worth the trouble in the end. (I'm 7 months into suing someone for breaking a contract). I rather try to learn from it and do more meaningful things.<\/p>\n Written contracts are still necessary, especially when dealing with larger companies where many people come and go. And at least those who think the same way as you do feel bound by the contract. But contracts play a secondary role next to the personal relationship with the contracting party. The contract is not the deal, only the 'shadow' of the deal. The personal relationship is the real deal. You have to remember that. Cultivate your business relationships and only worry about the written secondarily.<\/p>\n Remember, if the personal relationship turns sour, a written contract will not save you. It only defines the individual roles and obligations of the parties. The relationship commits the parties to those roles and obligations. Once I understood this, I focused more on the business relationship than the writing and my deals went much more smoothly.<\/p>\n Pretending too much<\/strong><\/p>\n Don't pretend to yourself and especially not to your clients. Don't pretend to be someone you are not. If you are a newcomer as a self-employed person, own up to it. Don't think you have to pretend to the clients. Sooner or later the clients will find out and you will lose your credibility.<\/p>\n Sell your product according to your skills and talent. Piling on the high only helps in the short term and is a recipe for failure.<\/p>\n As a newcomer to the world of self-employment I thought I had to be 'business-like', after all, as the 'boss' of a company I had a lot of responsibility and had to sell myself accordingly.<\/p>\n It took a few years, but I have since learned to just be myself. If you are honest with yourself, you can also be honest with your clients. As I said before, customers notice when you're pretending and they feel they've been taken for fools.<\/p>\n If we all behaved like business machines, every business would be the same. You could programme yourself to always act and react in a certain 'business-like' way. Our stinking normal self gives our company a personal touch. It makes us unique and distinguishes us from the competition.<\/p>\n Losing sight of the goal<\/strong><\/p>\n Our main goal is to make money, to make profits. No question about it. But we must not focus only on profit, forgetting something important: We want to create value with our product. A value that our customers recognise and help us make a profit through their purchase.<\/p>\n We only need to focus on this goal and the rest will take care of itself. You can make profits in the short term without selling any value, but it doesn't pay in the long term. The more you understand what makes your product 'valuable', the better you can focus on it.<\/p>\n So don't just sell stuff and hope for the best. There is already enough of that. But it will always need honest value, so put your effort into it and success will come naturally.<\/p>\n Being too formal<\/strong><\/p>\n As already mentioned several times, everyday business is about personal relationships between two human beings. Of course, this should not go too far, we should not treat our counterpart the same way as our best drinking buddy.<\/p>\n In some cultures it is customary to address each other by their first names. In Germany, this would mean a lack of respect and would be insulting. So let's stick to the tried and tested 'Mr. Anyway', at least until we get to know him better.<\/p>\n But the personal relationship in business needs a face. I need to treat my interlocutor like a friend, not like a computer. If I build an honest relationship (respecting the rules of respect and politeness), both sides can enjoy the deal. And fun is always good for business.<\/p>\n Too much formality creates a wall between two people. A wall is an obstacle and stands in the way of the business deal. It has to be torn down first.<\/p>\n Assume that employees think the same way as you do.<\/strong><\/p>\n Always remember, all that matters to your employees is that they show up in the morning, leave in the evening and get their money at the end of the month. They are not interested in whether the customers are happy or the business is making a profit. They usually do not think as far as a well-run business is a secure job. They just want to have their peace of mind.<\/p>\n So it is always good to have the opportunity to give employees a reason to increase profits and\/or improve product quality. If they see a personal (financial) benefit in making an effort, they will. Otherwise, unfortunately, they won't.<\/p>\n Restaurant waiters are friendly to diners because they hope to get a tip. They don't care whether the guest likes it or whether he will come again.<\/p>\n Unlike you as the boss, who are always concerned about quality and good service, the staff just want to get through their day.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, I know of no other way to motivate employees than to give them a share of the turnover or to make their jobs so desirable that they would do anything to keep them.<\/p>\n It is important to make sure that only hard work is rewarded (as in the case of direct sales participation) and that only those who have sold more are rewarded. So don't pay too much salary from the outset in the hope that the employees will appreciate it. Rather less and with the possibility of a bonus. This separates the wheat from the chaff and you don't feed lazy people. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Seid mal ehrlich, ihr alle habt bestimmt schon mal schlaue Bemerkungen \u00fcber anderer Leute Gesch\u00e4fte gemacht, nach dem Motto: ‚ich w\u00fcrde die Werbung ja so und so machen‘ oder ‚ das ist ja dumm, mit dem Logo kauft doch da keiner’… Und was sind wir gut im Ratschl\u00e4gegeben, wenn Bekannte uns von Problemen in ihren […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_thumbnail_id":["5"],"_fgj2wp_old_id":["1"],"rank_math_focus_keyword":["gerade selbst\u00e4ndig gemacht? die 10 h\u00e4ufigsten fehler als jung-unternehmer"],"rank_math_analytic_object_id":["3474"],"_trp_automatically_translated_slug_en_GB":["just-made-the-10-highest-mistakes-as-a-young-entrepreneur"],"rank_math_internal_links_processed":["1"]},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bildung-und-karriere","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neuropool.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Investing too much money<\/strong><\/p>\n
Investing too little money<\/strong><\/p>\n