People
are pessimists. As a rule we're all pretty negative, and we get off on thinking
about how bad everything is, and how much better it used to be. I'll bet it
goes all the way back to a bunch of grunting cave people, whining about how the
Hunting/Gathering was better when their parents were younger. Entrepreneurs,
tech-types and founders do it too. We talk about how much better it was to
start companies back in the 70s, or the 80s, or the 90s, when we could have
been the founders of Apple or Microsoft. When there were so many things to
discover and build. And we look at those companies with a hushed awe, like
they're fucking Gods. It's all wrong. I'm 100% sure that this is the best time
in human history to be an entrepreneur.
Mark Zuckerberg
Affordability
Starting a company is
dirt cheap. It really is. You can kick off a new online venture for less than
$100, easy. You can register a domain name, purchase hosting and web design through
a drag and drop interface, and be up and running for a tiny initial outlay. That
kind of approach could enable businesses of almost any model, whether it's
e-commerce or a service-based design firm. Sure, you'll run into a lot more
cost when you start looking at building software or platforms yourself; but
validating the cost of development won't cost you a thing with a launch page
and a sign-up form. You're looking at $15 a month. It doesn't take venture
capital to found a small start-up or business. It just takes guts. Read my
favorite book — "The $100
Start-up," by Chris Guillebeau. It will change
the way you think about starting up.
Global teams
Finding a co-founder
isn't the challenge it once was, either. Where meeting a business partner in
the past could have been a lengthy process, searching out a face-to-face
meeting, you can now discover talented individuals on the other side of the
planet. Look at companies like Woothemes — their original team were separated by hundreds
of miles back in the day. You aren't limited by the people around you or your
local technology or business environment. You have the ability to get out there
and discover a genius who perfectly meshes with your approach to business, no matter
where she is. If you need someone to climb that fucking mountain with, she's
out there. When you have the entire population of the connected world at your
fingertips, trust me — the hard part won't be finding the right co-founder,
it'll be choosing which one.
Tools and platforms
From e-commerce plugins and
solutions to 3D printing services, you can take care of just about everything
your business needs from your smartphone or a browser tab. That's incredible.
The apps, software and platforms that are instantly available to us now would
have been unimaginable in the past. When I initially started in business as a
freelance designer, my first expense was shelling out hundreds of bucks for
Adobe Photoshop and Corel Graphics Suite, just so I would have the bare minimum
I needed to get the job done. Nowadays, with a simple subscription that adds up
to the price of a few cups of coffee, I have access to the entire collection of
fully featured Adobe apps. And some of the best tools out there
right now are so easy to use. Canva. Squarespace. Hundreds more. The only
obstacle to getting shit done is your own knowledge.
... And on that subject
You can learn anything right now. We
have on-line courses, tutorials, academies, apps and teachers who can provide
you with the knowledge you need to learn coding or business development or even
hand lettering. If there's any knowledge you lack to start a business, that
knowledge can be learned at minimal cost and from the warm comfort of your
couch. It's just putting in the work and the hours to absorb that knowledge and
attain a level of engagement and familiarity. The material and the chance to
get the technical education you'll need is out there right now. Look at Code
Academy or Udemy. Hell, you can find most of the basic knowledge you need to
run your first start-up on Quora. There
are more reasons of course — movements in technology and business
are creating new opportunities every day. But I think the above three cover
some of the reasons I'm most excited about our current era of entrepreneurship.
What it really boils down to is this:
We
don't have a lot of valid excuses for not starting up.
If
you want to found a company, my advice to you is that you find the time. You
scrimp and you save every second. Because to miss out on the world of
opportunity in front of you now … let's just say, you'll regret it. This is the
greatest time to be an entrepreneur. But it's a terrible time to make up
excuses and reasons why it's not worth trying.
Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/now-is-the-best-time-to-be-an-entrepreneur-2016-1?utm_content=bufferfbd90&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
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