Many people dream of starting their own businesses but are not in a position to give up their permanent job. However, it is possible to use your job as a stepping stone to becoming an entrepreneur.
“Keep your eyes open and treat a job as a learning experience. Aspiring entrepreneurs should not frown on the valuable skills one builds when they themselves are in formal employment,” says Andiswa Bata, head of SME at FNB Commercial.
She advises:
- Your experience as an employee and colleague will teach you vital people skills, which you need when you are an employer, as well as helping you create a nurturing and productive work culture;
- Running your own businesses involves a lot of dull, repetitive work that has to be done. Working for a large organisation will give you a taste of this and help you to appreciate the importance of keeping all your admin up to date;
- Most jobs involve working in a team, which is also true of entrepreneurs — as much as you might want to do everything on your own, you will need to assemble a team of experts to help you; and
- A full-time job is also a good source of money that you can save towards your dream of starting your own business.
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