By Nicole Cober, Esq.
Right now, you may be wrestling with a solid business concept and thinking about how to turn your passion into action. But you’re overwhelmed, confused, and don’t know where to start. Trust me, I understand. I’ve been there. In 2002, I was an attorney who dreamed about opening a day spa and hair salon, yet I didn’t know the first thing about taking my interests to another level. What were the steps that I took to go from thinking about an idea to opening my doors? Simply put, I needed a plan. Here are several steps that will help you create your Passion-To-Action (PTA) Plan:
1. Get management experience in your industry.
You need to understand how a business operates. If you are a stylist, learn about payroll. If you are a baker, take a
business management course. One of the things that surprises me about some aspiring entrepreneurs is that they are very knowledgeable about the industry they love (i.e. clothes or cookies), but they haven’t studied the operations of a business. This is a critical step in your PTA plan. The knowledge of the industry is important, but operations are key. If you don’t plan on operating the business, however, make sure you have a partner who is strong in that area.