Starting a Business After Graduation is a Great Path Forward
People have different plans after graduation. There are those who would love to take a job right away while there are still vacancies available. Others wish to take a long break as a reward for their accomplishment. There are also those who would immediately move on to study their postgraduate degree. Another option is to start a business. This might seem like a stretch considering that you have just finished college, but it is possible.
Start with something really simple
No one expects you to put up a huge business right away. You are also not expected to create an empire out of this plan just like Mark Zuckerberg who dropped out of college to start Facebook. The goal is to experience being an entrepreneur and learn from it. You can start with something you are most passionate of. Create a business that combines your hobbies and skills with a money making strategy. This makes you feel like you are not running a business at all, but just having fun.
Be an intern for a big company
If you think you are not yet ready to start a business, be an intern. There are big companies that are willing to train potential entrepreneurs. You can learn some of their secrets and apply them as you start your own business. Just grab whatever opportunity you have to learn. Take notes and apply what you have learned the next time you are out on your own.
Get a freelance job
The biggest problem when running a business after graduating college is that you don’t have enough money to finance it. You also can’t take on a full time job or else you won’t have time left to manage your business. This is why freelancing is essential. It allows you to work at your own pace and also get money to fund your business. There are online jobs for you to take on or hobbies that you are passionate of like photography.
Create a network
Business is all about building partnerships. You have to find people and create good relationships with them. Put your name out there. Let them know your ideas and how you plan to make them a reality. As you start growing your network, you also find people who may be of help in your plan to create a successful business. Join national and local events. This includes conferences, exhibits, trade shows, seminars and workshops. This is where you can find people who may help you in terms of ideas or even funding. Make the most out of the opportunity to grow your network and seek for opportunities.
It is a huge challenge to start a business after graduation. It doesn’t mean though that you can’t do it. You don’t have enough experience yet so every day is a learning experience. The key is to not be afraid of failing. Take this as an opportunity to grow. If you fail, stand up and start over again. At least you already know what to do the next time around.
Photo Attribution:
Featured and 1st image by Mando vzl (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Brian Kerrigan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
