4 Mistakes to avoid when starting your own business

Have you ever wondered about or are in the process of starting your own business? Well, I wanted to share with you some common mistakes to avoid when starting your own business.  For those of you who don't know me and for those of you who already know me, my name is LaTersa Blakely, owner of Baby Diaper Cakes and Beyond by LaTersa.  I'm a mother of two beautiful children (Ishmael (4) and Sarah (2) and the proud wife of Eric Blakely.  I started my company in 2010 and let me tell you it has been a learning experience for me.  I wanted you to know that just like you, I too made mistakes along the way and I am learning from them.  The first mistake to avoid is Don't do it alone. What I mean by that is that for the first couple of months of getting my business started, I was trying to do everything myself.  I love working on the computer and trying new programs, but even a computer geek needs some help along the way.  I have since then became a person of strong might and asking others for help and when money allows me to, I purchase services from other experts to get the job done quickly. This will free me up some time to do what I do best; continue designing baby shower and bridal shower favors and gifts.

Write your business plan before starting your business.  I made the mistake of trying to get all of my products seen by others before even having a clear plan as to how I was going to market them.  You need your blue print etched and stone to help you have a sense of directions.  As the old saying goes; you don't know where you're going if you don't map out your directions.  That's a true statement within itself.  Even if you don't know exactly how to write a business plan, start by brain storming and writing down your ideas and things you would like to accomplish within your business. Once you do that, get a mentor or someone in that field of expertise to help you create a great business plan. One place to start is the www.score.org. Score is nationwide and local. Just go to the web site and type in your location and you can choose from mentors in your area.  Once you have your business plan, you can pretty much see a blue print and have some sense of direction instead of just working.

Do not tell others your plan.  When you're are getting ready to step out on faith and follow your dreams, not everyone is going to be in agreement with you.  I had to learn this the HARD way.  For those of you who really know me, you know that when i have a great ideal or even the smallest thing makes me happy and very excited.  I would talk about my plans of how I was going to start my own business and be my own boss to just about everyone who would listen. I was so thrilled and just over joyed that I had finally found my niche, my passion, my dream, and purpose.  I took my desire to make people smile, making gift baskets and turned it into to a business.  It wasn't until later, that I added diaper cakes to put a spin on my business.  I had people to tell me that it was not going to make it and that people wouldn't buy diaper cakes, and gift baskets because that's not a real job.  So, what i did was let all that negative talk go in one ear and out the other.  If there's one thing you will get to know about me, is when people say I can't, that's my motivation to prove them wrong.  So, the next time you have a great ideal or want to start something new, keep it between you and God and maybe one or two people within your close circle.  Everyone will not believe in your dreams, but as long as you believe in them and in God, then he will definitely bring it to pass.

Don't Give up! I can not stress this enough! Anytime you want something great or starting something great, there will be some obstacles that you must go through.  There have been times, that I've felt like giving up, but that little voice inside of me won't let me rest.  This is where you have to rely on your faith in God and surround yourself with like minded and positive people.  Your inner circle of friends and family will be there to uplift you when you're feeling down.  Keep your eye on the prize and block out everything else that's hindering you from being successful.  This may mean sometimes, you have to let people go.  This could be family members, friends, or co-workers.  What every you have to do, to keep your mind healthy so you can function right, by all means, do that.  I hope this will inspire you or even help you to give your business another chance.  If you need any assistance or even want to check out my business, you can do so by calling me go to my website for clarity.

Successfully yours,
LaTersa Blakely,
http://www.diapercakesbylatersa.com
256-603-5353