4 Business Idea Killers You Need To Be Aware Of

Every business starts with a need, identified by a person. Then from the need, an idea is born. And from a business idea, comes a business which everyone can see.
 
Not every business idea eventually gives rise to a visible business. What makes an idea become a business is the ability of the conceiver, to successfully nurture it and scale through all the odds till it becomes a reality.
 
Many people aspire to get into one form of business or the other. However, not many people succeed in their business aspirations. In most cases, the business aspirations are aborted while still in the womb. The business idea is killed while still in the mind. 

Have you ever come across people who talk so wonderfully about setting up a business but whenever you meet them, there is no progress they have made which they can show for it? If the business idea will ever be actualized, the one carrying the idea must be able to resist those things that kill business ideas.
 

An idea is only a concept in the mind of a person, but which if well nurtured and treasured can give birth to something phenomenal. Microsoft, Ford Motors, Apple, BMW, Mercedes, Google, Facebook, and some other leading businesses of today, all started as just an idea in the thought center of a man’s mind. They are all big companies today worth so much money and ruling the world of business; all because the conceiver of the idea didn’t let them die.
 
It surely takes guts and bravery to transform a business idea into a visible business. The odds and challenges are usually not easy but they are surmountable. 

As I talk with many persons who are into one form of business or the other, and others who have tried to get into one form of business or the other, but did not succeed, I come to the conclusion that the following are four powerful business idea killers which any one aspiring to get into one form of business or the other needs to prepare for, in order to succeed. They are:
 

1.    Intimidation

To be intimidated is to feel less than what you really are. It is to become doubtful of your strength and ability to do something. It is to become frightened by something you think is more than you. 

Intimidation is a giant killer of business ideas. When most people conceive an idea, usually they share it with others. They tell their friends, families, acquaintances, colleagues, etc. Unfortunately, they expect that these persons will hail and praise them, pledging all their support to them when they eventually start up. 

This expectation is where the problem lies because in most cases, when they share their business idea with these people, it is met with doubts, fears, caution, and sometimes even challenged. In most cases, the one bearing the wonderful idea ends up being intimidated by the very idea that use to seem a wonderful one.
 
When you conceive a business idea, spend more time thinking about it and building on it. If you must share it with others, share it with persons who are already into the kind of business you are thinking of getting into; or someone you know who is an established entrepreneur. Share it with great minds; share it with business consultants; but make sure these are sincere people who will tell you the truth.
 
I am not saying that every idea you conceive will always be a good one and would be welcomed. NO. Some ideas are not achievable, with the circumstances at hand. But if you share it with people who know how the business terrain is, you are sure to get a better objective opinion than that of someone who is naturally not cut out for business.
 

2.    Procrastination

You have surely heard that procrastination is the thief of time; but I tell you that procrastination is also a big thief of business ideas. Procrastination is postponing what you can do now, for another time in the future.

I interact with people and very often when we talk business, they talk about wonderful business ideas that they conceived in their minds and I am like, wow! But you see, as soon as the talking is over, that is the end of the story. They keep planning to start someday. The world is made up of more of such persons. They suffer from the problem of procrastination.
 
Conceiving a business idea is not usually as difficult as actualizing it; and the difference is more or less in taking the first step. Very often, because the conceiver is not able to take the first step, the idea remains in his mind and never becomes a reality since wonderful ideas only need to be dormant, and they will begin to die slowly. When you find out from him about the idea he had, he tells you he still has plans to achieve it. What he is actually doing is allowing the business idea, die slowly.
 
Some people procrastinate out of fear to take the first step, but they claim to be planning and preparing.The only way to overcome this giant called procrastination is to take the first step. It is usually easier to take the second step, but never the first. Therefore, you must be bent on taking the first step.

However, it doesn’t mean you just need to conceive an idea and then without any findings, you go ahead and start acquiring things. NO. Do all the necessary findings you need to do and if after that you are still convinced your idea will work, go ahead to overcome that reluctance in you, by taking the first step.
 

3.    Limitation

Life is about unlimited wants against limited resources. This has always been and will always be. In life, we will never have all we need. If we had all we needed, it will take away some very essential ingredients like hard work, out of life. Everyone will be so comfortable and no one will dare do something new. Life will come to a standstill and become boring.
 
Limitations make us work harder; they challenge our thinking and bring the best out of us. Yet, they could be a serious set-back to a business idea when not seen in the right perspective. Limitation is another killer of business ideas. 

When a business idea is conceived, the next thing in the mind of the conceiver is usually whether he has all the resources to start up the business. In most cases, the resources are not there or even if they are there, they are hardly sufficient. This discourages many people and they drop their idea or push it further. In most cases, that is the end of the idea.
 
Limitations can be in many forms: It can be lack of finance to acquire all the things needed for the business to be set up. If it is finance, it is important to note that most people who are making it big time in business today, never started with all the money they needed. Most of them started small and managed it up until it grew to where they wanted it to get.
 
Another limitation sometimes is knowledge/information. When you don’t have enough knowledge or information on the business you want to get into, the chances of failure are higher. The right thing to do in that case is to go in search of knowledge, in the right places. Today, through the internet, you can get all the information/knowledge you need, if you are not lazy. Apart from that, you can ask vital questions from those already into that particular business and their experience will teach you a lot.
 

4.    Imitation

While procrastination is the thief of time, imitation is the thief of creativity and both of them are big thieves of business ideas.
 
One thing that bothers me today is that every day witnesses the emergence of one form of business or the other but very few people are doing something new. Everyone is just replicating what another person has done. Everyone is just imitating.
 
Imitation comes when people are afraid to put their creative minds to work and come up with something new. You may be considering getting into a business area which is already being exploited by many people but what will make the difference is what new things you will be bringing into that field of business which those who came in before you did not bring.
 
Do not limit your thinking to just what is already happening. Challenge your mind to think; broaden your scope of reasoning. Think wider. Search the internet and see innovations in that form of business you are aspiring to get into. 

Refuse to settle at mediocre level and be determined to do what no one is thinking of doing. Be the leader in that area of business which you choose. Don’t ever think you have done enough. Always ask yourself “Is there a better way I could do the things I see others do?”
 
I noticed that one reason why people imitate a lot is because it is comfortable to copy what someone else has done, than to take the pains to come up with a new thing. Don’t remain in comfort zones. Get out of it and make the difference with your wonderful idea, no matter how challenging it will be.
 
If you successfully handle these four above-mentioned business-idea killers, you will be able to transform your business idea to reality.
 
Please let me know what you think. Make your comments below.

  by Temitope Dada Odukeye