Have You Been to Jump School?

If you're considering launching a dotcom - a business on the Internet - you need to go to jump school. You probably think of jump school - if at all - as that place where people go to learn to jump from perfectly good airplanes at ridiculous heights (Why?). Most seem to be wearing parachutes - which can be converted into wonderful hammocks, by the way.

Jump school in your case, however, refers to preparing yourself to make the jump into an online business, probably at home. You should probably think twice, or several times, before attempting to run your own dotcom from your employer's computer. You could easily become a former employee quickly and may get thrashed about the head and shoulders in the process.

You would do well to ask yourself some probing questions (our intention here is for you to also answer them...):

1. Why do you want a dotcom? What is your motivation? If it is the lure of "easy riches on the Internet" we all hear so much about, here's a Fact of Life and an opinion for your consideration (you'll know which is which):

Most, if not all, of the "Make $250,000 a day in your underwear at the kitchen table!!" stuff makes wonderful fertilizer, but is a questionable business idea. Unless, of course, you're modeling for Victoria's Secret.

And, TANSTAAFL. There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch - makes a great acronym, don't you think? If some guy really had the secret to easy wealth online, why would he sell if to you for $59.95, or whatever. Then again, that may be the secret.

2. What are your goals? What do you intend and expect (not the same thing) to achieve? How do you plan to get there? The process of setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them is another article - and then some. For now recognize this: without goals and a plan of work you're flying blind - without instruments. (Back to the parachute!)

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them,or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.
Denis Watley

3. Will you leave your current employment to start your dotcom? What are the ramifications of that other than the obvious loss of that income, and benefits, if any? Will you attempt to build your business online while working full time elsewhere?

4. Are you prepared to work at home? Really work? That doesn't mean just physical preparation, but mental. The impact of your enterprise will be felt by everyone you live with, so they have to be prepared, too. Your spouse, significant other (there must be a better term), and even the kids, must buy into your enterprise because you'll need their support and understanding. "Maggie, when Mommy's in this room she's working, and it's very important for you not to beat your brother to a pulp."

5. What are you prepared to sacrifice in order to build your dotcom? "Hey! Who said anything about sacrifices?", you ask, "I just want a business online so I can ______.". Yes, but TANSTAAFL.

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it.Establish your priorities and go to work.
H. L. Hunt (the oil zillionaire)

Are you prepared to exchange much of your free time? Your golf, tennis, racquetball or some other kind of game (temporarily)? Are you prepared to invest cash (okay, credit card debt) to prepare and promote your dotcom, even at the expense of limited trips to the video store? (Might even be enough for a decent ezine ad.)

6. Do not let any of this discourage you from starting your dotcom (if it does, you probably weren't ready). Let it help you organize your thoughts and prioritize your actions - after you determine what those actions are to be. One of the biggest reasons for dotcom failures - and that's the majority - is that the people were unprepared or unwilling to do what it takes. You do not need to join them.

A closing thought:

My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.
Indira Gandhi

Copyright © 2000-01 Kent E. Butler

About the Author

Kent Butler has been writing for business for 30+ years and objects to tech-speak.If you want to get the best from your computer and Internet experiences, claim your free membership (with Kent) in The Newbie Club (all plain English!) by going to http://newbieclub.com/cgi-bin/sgx/d.cgi?GetHelp

:To contact see details below.


keb@bayserve.net
http://www.butlermarketinggroup.com/