Investment advice for entrepreneurs
Being an entrepreneur is not easy; there is always the pressure to outdo competitors, constant worry about finances, and the difficult task of managing expectations. On top of that, you have to keep tweaking your plans so that your business stays on course so a few bits of investment advice could useful to keep your finances in check.
One of the things you must do is keep investing in order maximize your chances of success. There is always a ton of investment opportunities out there, but not many of them are relevant or ground-breaking enough to warrant your cutting a check. If you are looking to invest, then this piece is a guide toward making the right choices.
1. Evaluate your needs
Every investment opportunity is borne of a need. It could be the need to spread your tentacles outside the scope of your current engagements. It could be the need to stay relevant by acquiring smaller businesses around you. Sometimes, you just want to dip your hand into a new idea and see how it goes. If there is no immediate need to invest in an idea, then don’t. Save your resources for the opportunities that come when the time is right.
2. Have a strategy
To put your money in the right place, you need to have a system of evaluation opportunities. Blind investments end in disaster, so develop a way of deciding which ideas to invest in. For example, if you are the kind of business person that loves to buy shares in startups, stick to startups. If you love taking your chances with going concerns, then go for it. The idea behind investment strategies is that you get to zero in on what you want to be part of in the future. Smart strategies could reward you tenfold, but poor strategies could very well put you out cold.
3. Think about diversification
Every entrepreneur knows that in order to up their chances of making it big, then they must be willing to take a significant amount of risk. The good news is that you can balance risks and give yourself a better chance of positive returns. This is achieved through adopting a diverse portfolio. One good way of diversifying your portfolio is by investing in whisky casks. In recent years, investing in whisky casks has proven to have a great ROI with investors seeing returns of up to 12% per annum. Spread your resources across different business ventures or industries and keep an eye out for trends. Having investments in various sectors whose markets don’t work the same way is a good way of providing yourself a soft landing when things do not go as well as planned in some of your ventures.
4. Keep your ears on the ground
Whether you are running a small corner store or a surging startup, it is important to listen to the whisper of the wind. There are always murmurs about what business is being sold, what venture is going under, or what new technology is the craze. Be aware of what is happening around you and react accordingly. Read reports and submit to the analyses of those who know better. Find ways of moving investments around in response to the tides of time. Respond to the buzz in the marketplace by making decisions that allow you to take advantage of circumstances and always be at the right place at the right time.
5. Focus on the future
The investments you make today definitely won’t come good tomorrow. Think about your investments as a tree that has to be nurtured to maturity to bear fruit. Think about what your current investment is going to be worth in 5,10 years and not what it can produce in a year. Avoid the temptation to do things that give you instant gratification and cultivate the kind of patience that allows the best entrepreneurs in the world to ride out storms and cruise the high seas.
The best entrepreneurs among us are not afraid to do the hard work. They dedicate themselves to nurturing their ideas and keep believing in the audacity of their dreams. The investments you make today can either make or break you sometime down the line. That is why you need to be clear about what your objectives and goals are. Make decisions that align to your goals and keep responding appropriately to the conditions in the marketplace. Above all, keep your mind open and adopt a long-term approach in the acquisition and management of your portfolio.
