6 Reasons Your Startup Is Doomed
Entrepreneurs are risk-takers. They calculate possibilities with high accuracy and take every step after thinking thrice. A single mistake in the initial phases can cause severe losses in the later stages.
A lot of amateur entrepreneurs make the mistake of not being thorough during the first stages. Since defining a solid business model takes up a lot of time, entrepreneurs must be patient and understanding to see through the process for fruitful business outcomes.
If you’re starting a venture or facing unfortunate results from your first venture, then we’d like to suggest some tips that’ll not only help you stand firm in the business landscape but also help to identify the places where you’re lacking.
1. Inefficient IT Professionals
IT is the core of all the success or failure businesses face. We know that initially, businesses need a lot of funding, so hiring an experienced IT professional can be expensive.
Most new ventures want great employees for minimum wage. Still, in today’s world, where living costs exceed an average man’s salary, it is almost impossible to find someone with the experience you need.
It is a primary reason startups hire inexperienced or amateurs as their employees and suffer because of it.
But, it doesn’t have to end badly for budding entrepreneurs struggling with capital. An even better idea would be to outsource IT professionals rather than hiring a dedicated team. A company like Synergy-UK is an excellent solution for all your IT-related needs.
With Synergy, you can worry less about your IT department and focus more on using your capital in other areas, ensuring company growth through mindful investment decisions.
2. Choosing The Wrong Market
You have to be wise when choosing a market for your innovations. The market is where all the targetted audiences are. It would be best not to select areas that are already over-served because then your competition would be very high, and customers will always prefer those ventures that started before you because they have gained their trust.
This would lead to a massive loss. When selecting a market, mark the severity levels (low, medium, or high) of these five warnings; the threat of suppliers, threat of buyers, threat of new entrants, bargaining power of customers, and the threat of already present competitors.
If you see threats as severe, it is recommended to choose a different market.
3. A Not So Thoughtful Business Model
It is a well-known fact that eight out of ten startups fail within the first eighteen months of their venture. There is a good reason for it. During the initial phases of the startup, entrepreneurs are optimistic about their venture turning out great with easy efforts.
They tend to disregard the prime factor leading to their downfall – the business model. A business model defines how a company will make money from its products in a type of market.
When developing your startup’s business model, you need to focus on two critical points; number one: see if there is a practical way to acquire customers, and number two: identify ways to earn revenue from your customers.
4. A Below Par Management Team
How the management team works define the success rate of your startup. Hiring an inefficient group of people only working to get paid won’t do your company any wonders since they’re not motivated enough.
Therefore, it is necessary to hire people who show interest in their field and have good communication skills since a team’s strength is defined by how well they interact and understand one another.
If the startup faces issues, the management team should resolve them instead of blaming and losing talented employees.
5. Miscalculations
Starting a business requires a lot of cash. Entrepreneurs have their ways of acquiring money. The number one method is saving up – which usually takes up a lot of time and effort.
Other ways include; asking from friends and family, external funding, or finding an angel investor. We’re trying to highlight that gathering enough money to start a venture is no child’s play.
Whatever the case may be, when you put everyone’s hard-earned resources on the line, you can’t afford problems or miscalculations.
It is always advised to let a professional financial analyst handle the finances and assets and generate a detailed report that illustrates the use of funds and highlights all the expenses made for the startup to enter the development stage.
6. Problems In Products Or Services
The product design is the key to success when starting up. This is what attracts customers and promotes better marketing. Faulty products or services will stop your brand from making progress and be a cause of ruining your venture’s reputation.
Most of the time, the products that the companies bring to the market aren’t exactly what the market needs. As stated before, you need to find the correct audience, preferably an underserved one, so you could have a high chance of succeeding.
Since startups (especially first-timers) can find it difficult to earn good marketing because of competitors, they can make themselves famous and attract more customers by introducing something that is needed rather than what is wanted.
To know the current trends, we would suggest taking surveys. Go around and ask likely customers if they would like to see your product in town; is it a must-have or just a want-to-have?
Ask them what price are they willing to pay once they see your product around. Surveys like these can give you a broader idea of what should be done to get business booming.
Final Thoughts
Only the bravest have the guts to become Entrepreneurs. Most of us tend to do things the traditional way and avoid any risks, so congratulations to you for believing in yourself and being courageous enough to make your path to success!
Now to be victorious out there, follow the tips mentioned in this article and face problems head-on. Good luck!