Becoming an entrepreneur or business owner is a challenging task. Creating and developing a product or service, while also thinking of a differentiator that attracts future consumers, requires a lot of hard work. Creating, developing, having to recreate, and adapting until it’s good and makes sense is an even greater challenge. Offering something unique that solves a specific problem for consumers is vital to standing out. Innovation, excellence in customer service, and a different business model are also necessary differentiators.
For entrepreneurs who do everything on their own, every aspect of the operation depends on them. From product development to marketing and administration, everything is in their hands. Creating a culture of creativity, collaboration, and ethics, even without a team, is fundamental to transforming a good idea into a successful business.
However, they say it’s possible to start a business from scratch, but is it really from scratch? For me, there is always some investment involved. Even a home-based business, like selling cakes, incurs costs for ingredients, electricity, gas, packaging, and purchasing any equipment that is useful for mixing ingredients and facilitating production, such as a mixer or blender. - Ah! But it’s a negligible amount, someone might say, and I would respond, - But it’s still an investment.
In the case of a business that is initially online, like my small business Biruta Digital a marketing agency, the investments are different but still exist. Creating the agency's website, investing in a platform where I can manage social media all in one place without wasting time using each social media manager, investing in website domains, and customizing email boxes so that future clients can feel more secure when reaching out—all of these require investment. There’s also time spent on the computer producing, electricity, internet, and if the computer fails, it goes for technical assistance—this is both an investment and a cost because that effort could be used to create more content.
Nothing is from scratch; I also include the time spent studying and improving skills. In fact, time is a valuable investment. These examples show that regardless of the type of business, there are always investments to be made. Recognizing and valuing these investments is crucial for the growth and success of the enterprise, and this recognition must come more from those hiring the professional or those intending to hire.
Starting a business from scratch means beginning with limited resources and building from there. Each investment made is a step towards success. The path of entrepreneurs demands courage, determination, and planning. The journey is challenging, but the reward of seeing your business thrive is unparalleled.
