Starting a Business of Your Own

For the right person, going self-employed or starting a business will bring experience that working for somebody else never can. Of course, you will also have to face challenges. There is no one else to put right mistakes you make, the buck stops with you. You may have to work longer hours and you may, especially in the beginning, have less financial security. But if you are the right kind of person with a good idea, sound planning and commitment you can overcome the challengesand enjoy the rewards of your own initiative.

People going self-employed or starting their own business come from all kinds of different backgrounds and have all kinds of different personalities. However, research has revealed a number of qualities which are important if you are to achieve your aims. They include the following areas.

Initiative – you need to be a “self-starter”, you won’t get very far if you usually have to be told what to do.

Determination and persistence – you are unlikely to achieve your aims if you give up easily.

Responsibility – if you tend to blame others when things go wrong, instead of sorting them out yourself, you will probably be destined for disappointment.

Imagination – the ability to see yourself, and your business, through other’s eyes. Then you can see how to give your customers what they are looking for and to adapt yourself, if necessary.

Self-sufficiency – many occupations and businesses can involve long periods of solitude. If you are only happy in company, you’d better choose something else.

Those with big ambitions need exceptional passion, will-power and energy to achieve them. They want to beat the system and they’ll give it all they have got, even if it means extremely long hours, keeping up the pace when others would be exhausted.

However, research indicates that such people are often blessed with exceptional insight into their customers’ minds – and, contrary to what you might think, are very careful about taking risks.

Notes: self-starter - ініціативна людина

the buck stops with (you, him, her etc) – рішення за (тобою, ним, нею тощо);

3. Read the text and answer the questions.

1. What will make the right person experienced?

2. Why will you have to face challenges?

3. How is it possible to overcome challenges?

4. What qualities are important to become successful in business?

5. How is it possible to give customers what they are looking for?

4. Match the word/phrase on the right with those on the left.

1) sole proprietor/trader	a) you are responsible for making a decision
2) challenge	b) to be intended, especially by fate
3) the buck stops with you	c) to procede as fast as you used to
4) to reveal	d) being alone
5) to be destined for	e) self-employed person
6) exhausted	f) a difficult but exciting thing to do
7) solitude	g) to be tired out
8) to keep up the pace	h) to show or allow to be seen (sth pre- viously hidden)