10 questions to ask yourself before starting your entrepreneurial journey

The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Younger generations are increasingly looking for meaning in their work. Beyond a great promising exit at the end of the road, entrepreneurship attracts young talents in search of meaning and fulfillment. These young leaders want to become independent but also have a positive impact on society. Although they have a vision and a goal of innovation and change, creating one is no picnic. It takes a lot of preparation. Try answering the 10 questions below before you start your entrepreneurial journey:

1. Why do you want to start your own business?

Entrepreneurship is over-glorified and distorted on . In reality, it's about building a business that solves a problem for a consumer. It's not about driving nice cars or posting nice photos on social media. In fact, true entrepreneurship seems quite the opposite of what we see on social media.

Do we need a certain level of luck, genetics and an environment around us to be an entrepreneur? Yes - a little, of course. But also, anyone can solve problems anywhere in the world. This is true for small problems as well as big problems. The choice comes in the decision to find people who have needs, wants and problems for which you can offer a solution.

It's also a choice each of us has to make about how we want to solve this problem - how obsessed we are with this solution and how far we are willing to go beyond to serve customers well.

Related: How to Become an Entrepreneur - Where to Start & More

2. What is the problem that particularly affects you?

If you want to have a viable business, it's important to have a clear mission. Given the purpose of your project, you will need to find out about the real needs of your territory. Start by doing market research to understand what people face on a daily basis and are looking for solutions.

Beyond the business solution, there is also the personal and emotional responsibility: shaping and developing ourselves to be able to handle and maneuver through constant stress and hardship. It means developing a personal conscience to see our shortcomings and compensate those who make smart business decisions. This means balancing planning and strategizing with real, excellent execution.

3. What do you want to achieve?

Describe your ideal project. Imagine your project as it could flourish fully, regardless of current constraints. Through this exercise, project yourself in one year and then in two to three years. Identify as precisely as possible what you would like to achieve through the realization of this project. Even if you are in the early stages of creation, it is very important to think about your vision, mission and goals.

4. Do you have the skills to implement your project?

Let's face it, you can't impact the world with good values ​​alone. Daring to take this path means changing your way of life, sometimes radically. It is essential to identify your strengths and talents. These are the skills you have.

On one side of a list, keep those skills you already have. On the other side, review the soft skills needed to complete the project. From this point on, you will be able to find out if you need specific certifications, how you can acquire these skills or even how you will train.

Determining the right skills also involves deciding which skills you will capitalize on and which ones you will seek externally (e.g. finding a partner, considering partnerships with other professionals).

Related: The First Question To Ask Yourself If You Want To Be An Entrepreneur But Don't Know Where To Start

5. What are your needs?

To make your project a reality, you will have several needs such as: feeling supported, having a

10 questions to ask yourself before starting your entrepreneurial journey

The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Younger generations are increasingly looking for meaning in their work. Beyond a great promising exit at the end of the road, entrepreneurship attracts young talents in search of meaning and fulfillment. These young leaders want to become independent but also have a positive impact on society. Although they have a vision and a goal of innovation and change, creating one is no picnic. It takes a lot of preparation. Try answering the 10 questions below before you start your entrepreneurial journey:

1. Why do you want to start your own business?

Entrepreneurship is over-glorified and distorted on . In reality, it's about building a business that solves a problem for a consumer. It's not about driving nice cars or posting nice photos on social media. In fact, true entrepreneurship seems quite the opposite of what we see on social media.

Do we need a certain level of luck, genetics and an environment around us to be an entrepreneur? Yes - a little, of course. But also, anyone can solve problems anywhere in the world. This is true for small problems as well as big problems. The choice comes in the decision to find people who have needs, wants and problems for which you can offer a solution.

It's also a choice each of us has to make about how we want to solve this problem - how obsessed we are with this solution and how far we are willing to go beyond to serve customers well.

Related: How to Become an Entrepreneur - Where to Start & More

2. What is the problem that particularly affects you?

If you want to have a viable business, it's important to have a clear mission. Given the purpose of your project, you will need to find out about the real needs of your territory. Start by doing market research to understand what people face on a daily basis and are looking for solutions.

Beyond the business solution, there is also the personal and emotional responsibility: shaping and developing ourselves to be able to handle and maneuver through constant stress and hardship. It means developing a personal conscience to see our shortcomings and compensate those who make smart business decisions. This means balancing planning and strategizing with real, excellent execution.

3. What do you want to achieve?

Describe your ideal project. Imagine your project as it could flourish fully, regardless of current constraints. Through this exercise, project yourself in one year and then in two to three years. Identify as precisely as possible what you would like to achieve through the realization of this project. Even if you are in the early stages of creation, it is very important to think about your vision, mission and goals.

4. Do you have the skills to implement your project?

Let's face it, you can't impact the world with good values ​​alone. Daring to take this path means changing your way of life, sometimes radically. It is essential to identify your strengths and talents. These are the skills you have.

On one side of a list, keep those skills you already have. On the other side, review the soft skills needed to complete the project. From this point on, you will be able to find out if you need specific certifications, how you can acquire these skills or even how you will train.

Determining the right skills also involves deciding which skills you will capitalize on and which ones you will seek externally (e.g. finding a partner, considering partnerships with other professionals).

Related: The First Question To Ask Yourself If You Want To Be An Entrepreneur But Don't Know Where To Start

5. What are your needs?

To make your project a reality, you will have several needs such as: feeling supported, having a

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