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My starting blog

Our comfort zone isn’t really comfortable

It is in our human nature that we are curios and like to try new things. My one-year old niece Sophia inspires me, whenever she shows her curiosity by starting to go from one room to another and eventually exploring all my drawers. Meanwhile, the hardest task is letting her sit beside her parents, when they visit neighbors. Undoubtedly, the reason is that she is wondering, what stuff are there in the new drawers? For Sophia, sitting by her parents is not always the comfortable place, despite the fact, that it is the safest place. If they force her to stay, she will start crying. Now, we understand that curiosity is in our nature, but in this blog, I will prove to you that our authentic selves despise our comfort zone, which is the first hindrance to starting a business.

Children are always interested in what’s new and they explore objects around them through their own methods, such as tasting, smelling and touching. As much as it is within us to be pathfinders, surprisingly, there are things that kill our innate curiosity*. Dr. Gail Brenner defines comfort zone as, a place that is only in our mind, we create it to feel safe by keeping the things we know and are familiar with, as well as excluding the things we afraid of or are uncomfortable about. Whatever the reasons that try to push us into the safe zone and stop us from getting out of the box, they are against our nature. We were born with zero knowledge and our nature drives us to explore, question and learn our environment.

What kills our innate curiosity?

-Environment: Receiving only negative comments in school, home and work.
-Fear of failure: Unforgettable negative experience and self-doubting.
-Standard culture: Lack of diversity, one mind-set, group thinking and extreme hierarchical culture.

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Environment: Receiving only negative comments in school, home and work.
Fear of failure: Unforgettable negative experience and self-doubting
Standard culture: Lack of diversity, one mind-set, group thinking and extreme hierarchical culture.

Everyone has their own dream. Weather you picture yourself as rich, a hero, a leader, your dream probably includes at least one thing that you want to make, change or a problem you want to solve. Luckly, making a change is also in our nature. Back to Sophia, if she isn’t comfortable with her hat and gloves, she unstoppably tries to get rid of them, even if her parents force and beg her. Sophia inspires me again by showing me, that it’s within my nature to desire to make a change.

Starting a business can begin by having or searching for an idea. If you have an idea, you have to draw your business plan and include your market research and other standard tasks. If you still don’t have an idea, you must think out of the box, explore and experience new things, where you can make a change and solve a problem.

Burying our curiosity and the drive to make a change through a business, will distance us from our dreams and tempt us to stay in the comfort zone. That is exactly what makes us uncomfortable.

“Do Not Lie to Yourself”
— Roy T. Bennett

My starting blog is about the comfort zone, which by I clearify the first essential trait to start a business: Self-awareness. To receive my up-comming posts on the traits which every entrepreneur needs, hit the subscribtion.

One trait equals 10 years of work time!!

You might know that 62% of Austrian consumers online commerce, according to Statista.com. In other words, online commerce has market capacity of 6,2 million consumer, which is huge! And now ask yourself, which tools do you use to find a specific service or product? Well, me too! Google could be described as an enormous mall, where two thirds of consumers are able. In this post: You will understand the necessity of applying e-commerce tools; Why is it crucial for young entrepreneur; And which business ideas are appropriate.

Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/ecommerce-computer-cash-e-commerce-2301933/

E-commerce tools are one success key for businesses

Surly, they are. For instance, online ads have high accuracy in term of reaching target customers. Standard marketing tools such as posts, TV ads, papers and others, where available to everyone (not oriented). On the contrary, YouTube ads are inelegant and very picky. Last week, I started to search on top smartwatch and their features. Since then, YouTube understood my desire and started to send me offers from retailers. Also, it has been noticeable that ads change immediately with any change of my interests. Well, after I bought that fancy Samsung smartwatch, I thought I need a new jacket, that suits my silver watch. And indeed, YouTube stopped smartwatch ads and replaced them with offers from Zalando and other sellers. E-commerce tools are crucial and can boost efficiency of any business.

Aaqip Ahmed is an entrepreneur and helped over 30 entrepreneurs to start their business. He told me that before using e-commerce tools like E-mail, Facebook, he couldn’t generate income that covers standard expenses.
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Which opportunities does e-commerce give young entrepreneur?

Starting an online business is cheaper, modern and intelligent. The costs of opening a website or buying an app is nothing compared to physical actual store. The Average price of apps is 10K€, as I personally asked a professional programmer on freelance.com. Whereas, opening an actual store costs what around 12k per year just for the rent. Now, be carful what business fields are the most promising in online business? According to statistics, Fashion, electronics and media lay on the top of online products. For selling products you can use WooCommerce to establish your own shop similar to amazon and Zalando without going in programing details. To provide service, such as consultation, coaching or any other value, you can use WordPress as a landing page for customers. Don’t forget to apply the social media and Google ads to boost your marketing strategies.

E-commerce tools are endless and always developing. We just have to explore them and put them in our use. For us as young entrepreneur, online business is easier and short-cut of time and costs. According to statistics, by 2024, 7,8 m Austrian users are expected in online markets. If you want to start a business, then do it smart and not hard, use e-commerce technologies.

Have you met Iman El Sarag?

Yesterday at the 9^th of December, I could make an interview with one of my friends, who could establish her own company, as she was only 18 years old! I have always wondered, how did she managed to start a business in so young age and beside the school? So, I asked her on the major three characteristics that she has and are related to starting a company.

” Seit Jahren ist das Fotografieren meine größte Leidenschaft, die ich 2015 im Rahmen einer Selbstständigkeit auch zu meinem Beruf gemacht habe. Es bereitet mir sehr viel Freude meine Umwelt auch durch andere Perspektiven zu sehen und mit meiner Kreativität neue Ideen zu entwickeln. Zudem macht es mir großen Spaß nicht nur meine Ideen einzubringen, sondern auch im engen Kontakt mit Menschen zu arbeiten und nach deren Wünschen, Arbeiten anzufertigen.”

Image/source: http://www.imanphotography.at/

Iman El Sarag is now 21 years old and owns two companies. The first one focuses on wedding photography, and the second on translating service. Her highest academical level is only the high school (Matura). However, this was never a reason to not use her passion of photographing in beneficial way. Early as she was a kid, she used to babysit her younger siblings. Later, she has joined many organizations, such as the MPÖ, where she has been active and helped organizing events and leading teams. Now, she is the manager of Corinthian branch. We can notice that Iman didn’t stepped into the business field from out of nothing. She took responsibilities and developed her management skills through several challenges. Starting a business requires managerial skills to balance the multi-discipline, being self-reliance and endeavor new goals.

Besides, that, self-confident played an important role. She wasn’t sure about all the decision she made, however, she understood that a manger must represent sureness and accuracy. Her father happens also to possess a taxi company. As he went to a vacation, he handed the management to Iman. Despite the fact, she lacks the experience back then, she still could handle the position. And here I wondered, if I or you, would accept the challenge? Do you see it as an opportunity or crises? Iman never doubts herself. The CEO Iman of the largest taxi company in Sankt Veit an der Glan accepted the challenge. In this short period, she discovered that one of the employees were stealing from the company. She understood also that this employee is one of the best and old among the staff, but still a fraud. She had two options, either she hands over this issue to her father after the vacation, or to step in and takes an action! Yes, you are right, she stepped in and fired that employee. Her father was very pleasant, as he knew. She had to be very confident in herself to take such an action. So, if we are planning to start a business, we have to build our confidentiality in order to accept the upcoming challenges.

Image: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/business-businessmen-businessman-2998905/

Even, if you still don’t possess a managerial position, you can start practicing it and explore new challenges. Starting up a business is a huge project, but we can prepare ourselves by endeavorsmall goals to develop our management and self-reliance which will increases our confidence. Clearly, Iman was born with managerial charismatic, although it is learnable, as we do in the university. Set up new challenges and prepare for the big one!