7 terrible traits you should avoid as a founder

There are many aspects involved in creating a business and unsurprisingly, it’s easy to make mistakes. To help you avoid the same pitfalls business founders have succumbed to over the years, make a note to quash the following characteristics.

Shyness

I once started a home-based business. I was selling dictionaries.

This venture was supposed to help fill my coffers so I could stay at home with my new baby. The problem? I was too shy to go ask people to buy stuff. Instead of knocking on doors, I placed brochures inside mailboxes and then wondered why no one ever called.

Stinginess

Many startup founders of small businesses are willing to give it all they’ve got, including everything in their bank accounts. Not me. I was too cheap to order business cards for my latest enterprise. For a tiny investment, I could have really opened up the doors to my home bakery business but I didn’t want to spend a few dollars on nicely designed business cards.

Unprofessionalism

Last year, I hired a photographer to take family photos for our anniversary. Although I checked her profile and prior experience, I was shocked when I saw the final product. Out of the 100 photographs she’d sent me, there were only two or three that I felt were of professional quality.

I couldn’t believe she had sent these as her final product!

Ignorance

During my time in Barbados, I discovered the importance of knowing the market. Bajans (what people from Barbados call themselves) informed me that their country had the only failed McDonald’s restaurant in the franchise’s history. Why? Bajans don’t eat red meat.

It’s considered too expensive to buy imported produce and the small island has no room to support cattle rearing.

Being judgmental

My uncle had just opened up a boat business in Chennai when an awful smelling and frankly, quite filthy, customer walked in to view some boats. Finding the smell difficult to handle, my uncle figured he’d been wasting his time but he talked with the customer and made his first cash only sale! The pig farmer thanked my uncle for his time and consideration, explaining he’d deliberately walked in like that because he wanted to buy from someone who’d treat him as an equal.

Liking your sleep

Starting a business is not for those who love their sleep. It takes time, dedication, and effort. Be prepared for your business to permeate every aspect of your being- expect to eat, breathe, and live your startup.

My grandmother, who loved the challenge of cooking new dishes, would often say, “What are you doing at two in the morning? That’s when you can get it done!”

Being too nice

Obviously, nice people are well liked but being TOO nice isn’t going to get you very far with your startup. Being the boss means you’ll have to set rules and boundaries for your employees, and maybe even get a little “bossy” while enforcing them.

By avoiding these seven terrible traits you are taking the first step to ensuring the success of your business. Examine your personality and make adjustments along the way if needed. As a startup founder, limiting how often you give in to these traits will help you define your business and build a solid foundation on which to further your company.