Should you check the listings or strike out on your own?

The spirit of entrepreneurship is quite strong these days. More folks than ever are striking out into the world to create their very own businesses from scratch, and some of them actually manage to hit it big! Remember when Minecraft was just some indie game? Now it’s a core part of Microsoft’s business strategy! However, it’s important to remember that while creating a start-up company is very tempting, and possible in the right circumstances, it’s not always the best idea.

I’ve heard far too many stories about people wanting to create a start-up with nothing but a vague idea of their service. No strategy, no resources, not even a consistent workspace; just an idea and an expectation that everything else will just sort of fall into place. Start-ups don’t work like that. Nobody will drop a bunch of resources in your lap and do the work for you, nor can you run a company as a mere “idea guy.” If you’re serious about putting a start-up together, you need to do the research, determining the application and viability of your idea and creating a detailed plan to put it into action.

If you can’t put together a proper action plan, you’re not ready to start a start-up. Instead, you might need more experience, or perhaps just more money in the bank. It may not be much in the entrepreneurial spirit, but you’re gonna have to suck it up and find a job at an existing company. Don’t lose heart; if you’re really committed to starting your own business and being your own boss, getting a job elsewhere won’t prevent that from happening. You’ve got time, so get some real-world experience under your belt and start putting that plan together in your off time.