I wish I had known these at the start...
Besides having a good idea mixed with some passion, these are a few things an entrepreneur needs to keep in mind while growing his business...
Think large-scale - can you handle more than just a few clients with the same process? You should be able to replicate your process with many clients without too much customization. Think the concept of 'assembly lines'. Your business should work with a few people. That's why I am not a big fan of outsourcing shops. They always need more headcount when a new project comes in. If you look closely, they are more of a HR company trying to keep people on-board. Instead, try to run a small ship with big engines. Know when to pass - when you say 'no' you really know what you are working towards. When we were a design agency, at one point we started taking up all kinds of projects - web, development, print, logo etc. We had forgotten what we stood for and running the business was not fun. Make your customers say "wow". At DeskAway we are focusing our efforts on the 'wow' factor this year. It's simple - if people are happy, they buy from you and tell others to buy from you. Try to get people to say "wow" - about your product, website, service, support... These are the things that I keep in mind while running this small ship...Have a great weekend!
