Starting a business is not for the faint-hearted. South African financial services company Santam has come up with 10 tips to help you.

1. Have a solid business plan

Planning plays a crucial role in any business success. A business plan is a good place to start – defining your skills and weaknesses, what you offer, how it’s unique and how you plan on growing your offering. What’s more, try to prepare yourself mentally and practically for anything that could go wrong and how you would deal with it. For example, what happens if you get injured? What if clients pay you a month late? What if a weather disaster affects you? Or a trusted supplier goes bankrupt?

2. Prepare for financial challenges

Most of the 600+ small businesses we interviewed in the Santam start-up survey said that cash flow was by far their biggest challenge. Deal with cash flow blows by saving for a month’s worth of expenses or by getting creative with how you lower your overheads.

You could offer clients a discount if they pay a deposit or the full amount upfront, or even an incentive – e.g. pay 10% less if you deliver your product or service a week earlier. Whatever you do, be extremely careful of debt – this is one of the biggest killers of small business success.

3. Be frugal – remember you’re a start-up

Resist the temptation to splash out on fancy offices, expensive equipment, and over-the-top marketing. Your company’s livelihood depends on what’s in your wallet so every rand and cent must be triple-checked. Maintain a low overhead and manage your cash flow effectively. For one of our 1001 days survivors Jamie Pike, this meant foregoing a physical shop at first and selling his wares at a market; for design duo JesseJames it meant sharing their premises with other small businesses.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

There are loads of resources out there for networking, knowledge sharing and advice. Networking is not just for new business opportunities; it can be a wonderful source of support and fresh ideas. Attend events such as Leaderex (free master classes) and My Biz Expo (free if you register before a certain date). Don’t hesitate to ask for advice from those around you (such as your intermediary, bank manager, landlord or neighbouring businesses),  or online forums and Facebook community groups in your area.

5. Put your faith in a trusted mentor

It can be a family member, former boss or colleague or even a trusted online source or blog. A mentor is an invaluable sounding board – someone who’s been where you are; someone with whom you can have regular, non-judgmental check-ins.61.9% of respondents in our survey didn’t have mentors – however those that did say that they found mentors to have a significantly positive impact on their businesses.

“My mentor pushed me beyond my biggest fears”, said one female entrepreneur who took part in our survey. “It’s not somebody who will take over”, agrees Cooked Inc’s Mariam Jakoet Harris. “It’s someone who’s going to nurture and help you.”

6. Marketing on a shoestring budget

Marketing your new business is extremely important but doesn’t have to cost the earth. Social media is your friend – creating your business page on Facebook is free and will help your online search ranking. So is submitting your website URL to search engines like Google and Bing – it’s completely free.

Also, keep an eye out for community Facebook groups – some will require a small advertising fee while others allow you to advertise your business on certain days of the week. The bottom line with marketing is to try anything and everything. You won’t know what will work for you until you try it.

7. Look after number one

Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle – the days of 9-to-5 are over. That's not saying that you must work yourself into the ground. Exercise regularly, eat healthily and find the time to relax or you’ll end up being less productive. Of our survey respondents, 64% said that they had to give up precious time with their family and friends due to work responsibilities. Working on your time management skills will help you clear enough time in your day to spend with loved ones.

8. Build a team that shares your vision

It’s simple: great people make a great company. As your business grows, you might need to hire staff. Firstly, take the time to interview people thoroughly to ensure that they fit your culture and share your values. Secondly, it can be hard to let go but it’s important to learn how to delegate tasks. Finally, don’t expect people to be your clones. Be open to new opinions and suggestions. It’s always good to get fresh perspectives on old ways of working.

9. Never stop learning

Starting your own business is a constant process of growth and learning. It’s important to enrich yourself with both practical and emotional skills. Take a look at free or low-cost e-learning resources such as the Hubspot Academy, Udemy and Inc.edu.

Sharpen your project or time management skills, learn a new software programme or teach yourself how to run your own social media campaigns. You can also work on your management, presentation and motivational skills. If you travel a lot, podcasts and things like TED talks are great ways to inspire and educate yourself.

10. Safeguard your venture

The best entrepreneurs don’t seek risk, they seek to mitigate risk. Small business insurance is one of the best ways to look after your livelihood, and it’s more affordable than you think (from as little as R162/m with Santam for an administrative business). Make sure that your precious stock and premises are covered in an emergency such as a fire or theft.

Source: Santam

If you want to be interviewed for our blog or YouTube channel, please sign up for an Afrinection profile and email Miriam at miriam@afrinection.com for more info!