I recently attended a small group meeting for young adults on the Autism spectrum that inspired me to write a piece on small business entrepreneurship, especially for those whose minds work differently. Do you struggle at work or feel like you are not a good employee? Are you constantly an inner critic of workplace systems and practices? Do you feel like striking out on your own?
As a young adult with a disability, the workplace poses social emotional challenges that can lead to burn out and isolation, leaving an individual without a desire to excel in work. Formulating a plan to turn your passions into a purposeful business is an excellent option for many young adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis. But, it also applies to many others!
The first step is to do basic market research in the industry of your choice. Who else is in your local area with a competing business? How much do they price? What are the barriers to starting your company? Do you need a website, a business card, clientele?
If you are a young person wanting to launch your own venture, the trick is to start this research and planning phase now! Don’t wait to be the perfect candidate to provide a service or product to the market! You will have to focus on honing goal setting and mastery, communication skills for interacting with customers, and will have to tackle your desire to procrastinate.
Here’s a step by step guide to Day 1 of starting your own business:
What are my values and what am I interested in doing?
What makes me special or what is it that I could offer?
Google research: Who else has made money doing this? Where are they located? How much do they charge? How am I different?
Pricing model and business plan – for more information on writing a business plan, check out these free resources:
Canvanizer provides a visual layout of various areas needed in a business plan.
Medium.com is an awesome website for entrepreneurs with ideas, articles, and resources on the latest you need to know.
Carpe Diem! Don’t forget to book a coaching session with daniellefeerst.com to learn more and walk through a step by step guide to building a brand for yourself, establishing independence, and expanding your financial potential.