Nearly 22.5% of smaller businesses are known to fail during their first year of operation. That thought is staggering. You may be wondering, as a new entrepreneur, how you can avoid losing your business that quickly. How do you launch and successfully run a startup? There are actually many pitfalls when it comes to running a business, especially for first-time entrepreneurs. Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes takes guidance from digital entrepreneurs like Rafferty Pendery as well as top tips for entrepreneurs. You need to know how to start a business and keep it running efficiently.

Tip #1 Have a Business Plan

Do you have a business plan? All it takes is a basic plan to start. Failing to plan is one of the first mistakes most new entrepreneurs make. Without even the most basic plan in place, you are essentially planning to fail. It doesn’t matter how small your initial plan may be, either. It is necessary to try avoiding entrepreneur mistakes by mapping out a business plan. Keep in mind to include how much you anticipate selling products and services, how much it is going to cost to operate your business, and one of the most important aspects, who is going to purchase your products and services and why.

Tip #2 Don’t Fear Failure

Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes when learning how to succeed as a tech entrepreneur is part of the process. However, failure shouldn’t be feared. Look at failure as a key to success and fully acknowledge it and learn from it. How you respond after failure shows how capable you are of learning from your mistakes. Failure, in and of itself, is a great key to success that can point you in the right direction.

avoiding entrepreneur mistakes

Tip #3 Know Your Target Audience and Market

Have you taken the time to fully understand your target audience and market? It is common for many startups to lose sight of this integral aspect. Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes includes knowing whether you’re on the right track or not. That means you need feedback from prospective and current customers. Building great products is only part of your success, not the entirety of it. The more you know about consumers and how they feel about your business, the better you will be able to market yourself.

Tip #4 Get and Stay Organized

Have you ever run a circus before? That’s pretty much what it feels like running a business without organization. The successful operation of a business means that you will have many things happening all at once. In order to keep track of tasks that need your attention the most, make a daily list. This is a piece of tech entrepreneur advice that goes a long way in helping you stay more productive.

Tip #5 Get the Support You Need

Yes, you may have started your small business on your own. However, you’re not alone and in order for your business to run efficiently, you need wise counsel. Avoiding entrepreneur mistakes includes seeking the advice of trustworthy advisors ready to discuss your strategy, business ideas, progress, and challenges. Great power and wisdom come with counsel. Use the savvy information from tech entrepreneurship blogs offered by Raffy Pendery to get started.

Surround Yourself with Mentors and Experts

Successful businesses are built from the ground up with support. It is imperative that you surround yourself with mentors and experts that can guide you when you need it the most. This type of support can help you avoid many pitfalls and mistakes that most entrepreneurs make. Make no mistake about it, mistakes are still going to be part of the process since they are inevitable. Just manage your expectations and don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from mistakes so you can pivot your business model when needed.