What will I need to be successful?
Running a business doesn’t suit everyone. Successful self-employed people tend to be:
- risk-takers
- independent
- ambitious
- determined
- professional
- hard working
- organised
If you’ve got the right personal qualities, you’ll also need a business idea that’s got a good chance of succeeding.
You’ll need to research and plan your business idea carefully. Consider:
- what service or product you’ll sell
- what materials and equipment you’ll need
- who you want to be your customers and how you’ll attract them
- how much competition there is
- how much money you’ll need to start up
- whether you’ll need to apply for any grants or loans
- whether you have the technical and management skills to make it all work
- where you will run your business from (e.g. you could operate from home, your clients’ premises, a space you rent in an existing business, new business premises that you set up, or an existing business that you take over.)
If you think you‘ve got what it takes to become self employed, and you’ve a great business idea, various organisations can advise and help. Check out how to get started.
