Afrinection guest blogger Nikki Viljoen shares her thoughts in the first part of the series on being your own boss.

I have, over the last couple of months, had to field a number of questions around this topic.  Questions such as where do I get money to fund the business, to how do I market it and what do I do and where do I go to get it off the ground and started.

Firstly, you have to find your own focus and decide exactly what it is that you want to achieve.  Look at what it is that you are passionate about and then think about what your intention is, what your goals are and then what your purpose is.  Write this down and make sure that you see it on a daily basis.  Read it, digest it, believe it, live it – it is what and who you are.

Remember that for every “ying” there is a “yang”, so for every internal intention, there is an external one too. 

Your ‘Internal’ intention dictates what ‘you’ will get out of the business, so it is about your gratification.  What the business means in terms of what you accomplish in your life – this can be financial independence and success, notoriety etc.

Your ‘External’ intention is about what your business does, in terms of benefits, to others.  So how does your business make a difference to people?  No matter whether your business is about the sale of products or the sale of a service, how does that service or product impact on others?  How does it help or assist or be of benefit to people.

Write down your internal intention and then share it with everyone – not just friends and family, but pretty much everyone that you encounter on a daily basis.  Watch how people react when they understand your objective and what you want to achieve on a personal level.  Your passion and drive will make them want to help you in anyway that they can – they can’t help themselves, its human nature.  You, in turn, become animated at their enthusiasm and their desire to assist and this in turn boosts your confidence and gives you validation in terms of understanding that you are going in the right direction.  And so the wheel turns . . .

Write down your ‘external’ intentions.  Then again tell people how it is that your product or service will benefit them or others.  Again, don’t just tell your friends and family, but tell everyone who cares to listen.  As people hear how what you sell will ultimately benefit others, they will begin to react.  You see people relate in a personal way to benefits and once they relate to what you are doing they will start giving you advice on how to improve your product or service.  People who are so fired up about giving you new ideas and being a part of what you started also won’t be inclined to question the validity of your product or service.  They just want to see you succeed – especially if you like their ideas enough to use them.

So what happens if there is someone else who has a business that is similar to yours or who wants to start a business that is similar to what you have done?  Well nothing actually! 

You see, your true intent is like your fingerprint – it is unique to you and besides that, there is an abundance out there – more than enough for everyone in fact.  Just continue to focus on your stuff, don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.

Make sure you have your own true focus though and you will inspire those around you before they can be engulfed with their own self doubt.

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About the author: Nikki Viljoen is a guest blogger for Afrinection and is the founder of Viljoen Consulting. Her website is  www.viljoenconsulting.co.za and she can be reached on Twitter and Facebook.